The missiles were fired from numerous targets in North Korea in the waters east of the Korean Peninsula between 9:08 a.m. and 9:43 a.m. local time in Seoul on Sunday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The rockets mark the 17th launch from North Korea this year. The last one, on May 25, came just as US President Joe Biden ended his trip to Asia and was returning to the United States.
The joint chief of staff of South Korea said the eight missiles had traveled distances between 110 and 670 kilometers (68 to 416 miles) at an altitude of 25 to 90 kilometers (15 to 55 miles) and speeds of Mach 3 to 6.
They were fired from four targets in North Korea: the Sunan region of the capital Pyongyang, Kaecheng in South Pyongyang, Tongchang-ri in North Pyongyang and Hamhung in South Hamgyong.
“The continued launch of ballistic missiles from North Korea is a serious provocation that harms peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the international community,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, condemning and calling on the North to “immediately stop” such actions.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has “strongly protested” North Korea’s repeated rocket launches, telling reporters they were a clear violation of UN resolutions.
Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi called the launch “unprecedented” and confirmed that at least six but probably more missiles fired from North Korea are believed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“The extremely large number of launches from at least three places in a short period of time is unprecedented,” he said, adding that missile launches that threaten international peace and security cannot be tolerated.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, six of the missiles have reached a maximum altitude of between 50 and 100 kilometers (31 to 62 miles) and have traveled a distance of about 300 to 400 kilometers (186 to 249 miles).
Japan has formally protested North Korea’s recent actions through diplomatic channels with Beijing, Kishi said.
In response to the launch on Sunday, South Korean National Security Chief Kim Sung Han held a meeting of the National Security Council Standing Committee and called the repeated launches of ballistic missiles in the north a “challenge to the security position” of the new government, the presidential office said.
Sunday’s launch is North Korea’s third missile test since South Korea’s new president, Yun Suk Yel, took office on May 10th.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Won Ying-Chole and Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Forces of Korea and the United States Paul LaCamera also held a virtual meeting and confirmed their combined defense capabilities for immediate detection and interception of North Korean missiles.
The launch comes a day after the South Korean and United States navies completed a three-day combined exercise in the waters off Okinawa, Japan, the South Korean military confirmed to CNN.
In a press release, the US Navy said it had deployed its USS Ronald Reagan nuclear aircraft carrier along with the Carrier Strike Group 5.
The exercise also involved ROKS Sejong The Great of the South Korean Navy and the landing ship Marado, the US Navy said.
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