North Korea Fires Missiles After South Korea Hypersonic Test — SkimNews
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- North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday morning from the Pyongyang area, with one traveling more than 900 km (559 miles) before splashing down
- South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff characterized the launch as 'a show of force in response to the successful test launch of our hypersonic missile, as well as an intentional demonstration of missile capabilities'
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had announced the rare test firing of a new hypersonic missile shortly before the North Korean response
- Japan's coast guard independently detected two objects fired from North Korea, corroborating the launch
- The launch is North Korea's fourth missile test in October alone and part of more than 10 conducted this year
- Tensions were already elevated by a North Korean landmine that exploded near the DMZ last month, injuring three South Korean soldiers
Why it matters: North Korea's immediate counter-launch to Seoul's rare hypersonic test — its fourth in October and 10th+ of 2026 — shows the peninsula is locked in a tit-for-tat tempo. The DMZ landmine that wounded three South Korean soldiers last month confirms the escalation was already underway before Lee's hypersonic announcement, meaning each new test by either side now reliably triggers the other's next demonstration.
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