High alert in Japan and South Korea after North Korea fires ballistic missiles

Tensions are rising in East Asia after North Korea reportedly launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea on Sunday, prompting high alert in Japan and South Korea. The development comes days after the International Atomic Energy Agency warned that Pyongyang was making “very serious” progress in its nuclear weapons programme.

Following the launches, Japan activated top-level crisis management protocols to safeguard public safety and monitor regional stability.

According to South Korea’s military, the missiles were fired from the eastern coastal city of Sinpo at around 6:10 am local time. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said multiple projectiles were detected, adding that they are believed to have landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). She noted that Japan is coordinating closely with the United States and South Korea to assess the situation.

South Korea’s presidential office said its National Security Council would convene an emergency meeting in response to the launches, underscoring growing concern over Pyongyang’s continued weapons activity.

Recent weeks have seen a sharp uptick in testing by North Korea. Leader Kim Jong Un has overseen multiple missile drills, including tests involving cluster-munition warheads and upgraded solid-fuel engines capable of reaching the US mainland. Sunday’s launch is reported to be the country’s seventh ballistic missile test this year and its fourth in April alone.

These actions are considered violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea’s ballistic missile programme. However, Pyongyang has consistently rejected such restrictions, arguing they infringe on its sovereign right to self-defence.

The timing is particularly sensitive, coming ahead of a planned mid-May summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, where North Korea is expected to be a key topic.

Adding to concerns, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi recently warned of significant advances in North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, including the likely expansion of uranium enrichment facilities.

Kim Jong Un has reiterated that North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible, stressing that strengthening its “self-defensive nuclear deterrent” remains central to national security — a stance that continues to challenge international efforts to curb its weapons programme.