The DPRK fired one short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea on the afternoon of September 20, and then fired one additional ballistic missile about three hours later.
According to the ‘ROK’ Joint Chiefs of Staff, the DPRK launched one SRBM from the Wonsan area into the East Sea at around 3 p.m. that day, and the missile flew about 450 km. ‘ROK’-US intelligence authorities are analyzing the exact specifications, and the Japanese Defense Ministry analyzed the first missile’s flight distance as about 440 km and its maximum altitude as about 60 km.
An additional launch followed at around 5:54 p.m. The Japanese Defense Ministry said the second missile flew about 590 km and had a maximum altitude of about 70 km. Both were analyzed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Initially, the second projectile was detected as an unidentified projectile, but it was later identified as a ballistic missile based on analysis by ‘ROK’ and Japanese authorities. With both launches confirmed as ballistic missiles, the DPRK effectively fired ballistic missiles twice that day at an interval of about three hours.
‘ROK’ Military authorities are weighing the possibility that the missiles launched were of the Hwasong-11 series. The Hwasong-11 series is known to include the Hwasong-11Ga (KN-23), called the “DPRK version of Iskander,” and the Hwasong-11Na (KN-24), called the “DPRK version of ATACMS.”
This launch came just two days after Kim Yo-jong, Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, criticized US-led joint military exercises such as “Pacific Vanguard 2026” on September 18 and said that “response actions with proportionality or offensive nature surpassing it” were necessary. Department Director Kim stated that the stronger the external military threat, the more the DPRK’s physical power will be strengthened, and that it will continue to advance its nuclear war deterrence.
This launch is the first in eight days since September 12 and the DPRK’s 14th ballistic missile launch this year. On September 12 as well, shortly after the end of the ‘ROK’-US-Japan “Freedom Edge” exercise, multiple short-range ballistic missiles were fired from the Wonsan area. The DPRK later stated that it had been a combined firepower strike training involving tactical ballistic missiles, attack drones, strategic cruise missiles, and large-caliber thermobaric multiple rocket launchers.
