North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Amid Rising Tensions With South Korea Over DMZ Blast

North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the East Sea on Saturday, October 3, South Korea’s military said, escalating tensions with Seoul after a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone injured three South Korean soldiers last month.

The missile was launched from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s east coast at around 6:30 am local time and travelled more than 700 km before landing at sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Seoul and Washington are analysing the projectile’s specifications, while South Korea has stepped up surveillance and military readiness.

The launch came 13 days after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area on September 20.

South Korea’s presidential National Security Office also convened an emergency meeting to assess the security implications of the launch. Seoul urged Pyongyang to halt its missile tests, saying such launches violate UN Security Council resolutions.

North Korea-South Korea Tensions Rise After DMZ Blast

The latest missile test comes amid heightened tensions following a September 21 landmine explosion inside the DMZ that injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously.

South Korea has said its investigation, conducted with the US-led UN Command, indicates that North Korean mines were responsible for the blast and has demanded an apology from Pyongyang. The UN Command has described the incident as a violation of the 1953 armistice.

North Korea has rejected the accusation. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed Seoul’s findings as fabricated and rejected demands for an apology.

The missile launch came shortly after Kim Yo Jong again criticised Seoul’s position and rejected South Korean proposals for dialogue over the border issue.

Kim Jong Un Deepens Military Ties

The launch comes as North Korea continues to expand its missile and military capabilities while strengthening ties with Russia.

South Korea has also been seeking to restore dialogue with Pyongyang. President Lee Jae Myung recently called for renewed trust and communication between the two Koreas, while North Korea has remained hostile to Seoul’s outreach.

The latest launch also highlights the challenge facing the region as North Korea continues its weapons development despite international sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

South Korean and US authorities are examining whether Saturday’s missile was a medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile. A South Korean government source said the projectile could have been an intermediate-range missile launched on a reduced-range trajectory.

Japan’s Defence Ministry said the missile travelled about 680 km and reached an estimated maximum altitude of around 90 km, with the projectile believed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The launch was North Korea’s latest demonstration of its missile capabilities as tensions continue to build along the Korean Peninsula.