Seoul

South Korea on Tuesday reported that North Korea fired an unidentified object toward the sea, according to the South Korean Defence Ministry.

The launch was detected off North Korea’s eastern coastline, officials said, without immediately specifying whether the projectile was a missile, rocket, or artillery shell. South Korea’s military said it was closely monitoring the situation and analysing technical details of the launch.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang continuing a series of weapons tests despite repeated warnings from Seoul and its allies. North Korea has defended such launches as part of its sovereign right to self-defence, while South Korea and the United States view them as destabilising actions that threaten regional security.

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South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said coordination with the US military was underway to assess the launch and ensure readiness against any potential escalation. Previous similar launches have often drawn condemnation from the international community, particularly when they are suspected to involve ballistic missile technology in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.