North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Towards Sea of Japan Ahead of US-South Korea Drills.

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Towards Sea of Japan Ahead of US-South Korea Drills.

North Korea has fired another ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan, marking its second missile launch in less than a week as tensions rise ahead of major joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the Wonsan area on North Korea's eastern coast at around 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The missile travelled more than 700 kilometres before falling into waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities.

Japan's Defence Ministry also detected the launch and said the missile did not enter Japan's exclusive economic zone. South Korea, the United States and Japan have been exchanging information about the launch while analysing the weapon's specifications.

The latest test comes just days before the United States and South Korea are scheduled to begin **Ulchi Freedom Shield**, their annual joint military exercises. The drills are due to run from August 17 to 27 and are designed to strengthen the allies' ability to respond to North Korea's nuclear and conventional military capabilities.

Pyongyang has repeatedly criticised the exercises, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion. North Korea's Foreign Ministry has also accused the United States, South Korea and Japan of developing what it described as an increasingly threatening military alliance.

The missile launch follows another test on August 6, when North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile from the same general area towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. That missile was detected by South Korean and Japanese authorities as Pyongyang increased its weapons activity ahead of the military drills.

North Korea has conducted a series of missile and weapons tests this year as it continues to expand its military capabilities. South Korean assessments indicate that the August 12 launch was the country's 11th suspected ballistic missile test of 2026.

The timing of the latest launch has attracted particular attention.

North Korea has frequently responded to US-South Korean military exercises with weapons tests, using the launches to demonstrate its military capabilities and signal opposition to the drills. Analysts say the latest test may also have been intended to send a message before the exercises begin, although the missile could have been part of an ongoing weapons development programme.

The launch also comes amid a broader deterioration in relations between North Korea and Japan.

Pyongyang has intensified its criticism of Japan's growing defence capabilities, including Tokyo's acquisition of long-range weapons and increased military spending. North Korean officials have accused Japan of moving towards a more aggressive military posture, while Japan has continued strengthening its security cooperation with the United States and South Korea.

North Korea's military relationship with Russia has added another dimension to the situation.

Analysts have increasingly examined whether Russia's war in Ukraine and its growing military cooperation with Pyongyang are contributing to improvements in North Korea's missile capabilities. North Korea has been accused of supplying Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine, while Western and Asian officials have raised concerns about possible technological and military assistance flowing in the opposite direction.

For now, there is no indication that Wednesday's missile posed a direct threat to Japan or South Korea. The missile landed in the sea, outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, and the United States Indo-Pacific Command said the launch did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory.

But the timing has kept regional security officials on alert.

With the US and South Korea preparing to begin their annual military exercises on Monday, and North Korea warning that it could respond with stronger military measures, further weapons tests remain a possibility in the days ahead.