- North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
- South Korea condemned the launch as a grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions and convened an emergency security meeting.
- The missile launches occurred as South Korea and the US held a shorter edition of their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises, which Pyongyang has long condemned as rehearsals for invasion.
- Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea, calling it 'an evident disaster'.
North Korea fired over 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, August 20, 2026, as South Korea and the US concluded their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises. The missiles reportedly flew around 300 km (186 miles) toward the sea, prompting South Korea to convene an emergency security meeting.123
The South Korean presidential office condemned the missile launches, labeling them a grave act that violates UN Security Council resolutions. South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back indicated that the missiles are believed to be 600 mm multiple rocket launchers, which could potentially be deployed near the border with the South.
The launches occurred shortly after US President Donald Trump ordered a reduction in military drills, which North Korea has historically condemned as rehearsals for invasion. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized Trump's decision, calling it an evident disaster and asserting that the hostile policy of the US towards North Korea remains unchanged.4
Ahn also noted that North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, raising concerns about the implications of these missile tests amid ongoing tensions in the region.
“Seoul called the launch a grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions and demanded an immediate halt. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said the missiles are believed to be 600 mm multiple rocket launchers, which Pyongyang has described as able to deliver tactical nuclear warheads.”
