SEOUL — South Korea’s military reported that North Korea fired an unidentified projectile off its east coast on Sunday, September 20. The launch comes just days after Pyongyang publicly reaffirmed its permanent status as a nuclear-armed state.
The incident occurred eight days after North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, during what it characterized as a joint firepower drill. The office of the Japanese prime minister confirmed Sunday’s launch, referring to the projectile on X as a “suspected ballistic missile”. Japan’s defense ministry later stated that the projectile had “already fallen,” though further details were not immediately provided.
This latest military action follows North Korea’s recent rejection of a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demanding that the nation halt its nuclear activities. During the IAEA’s General Conference this week, North Korea accused “hostile forces” of attempting to end its nuclear program. A spokesperson for the North Korean foreign ministry declared that the IAEA resolution “has no effect on the DPRK’s position as a nuclear weapons state”.
North Korea has legally enshrined its status as a nuclear power, with its leadership declaring the country’s atomic arsenal to be permanent and irreversible. In August, United States President Donald Trump stated that North Korea possessed 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, while estimates from South Korea suggest the figure is between 80 and 120.