Military & Defense
North Korea fires missile from Wonsan amid dispute over DMZ mines
North Korea’s October 3 launch from Wonsan came amid a dispute over mines in the DMZ. Pyongyang later described an intermediate-range test, while Seoul disputed its account.
North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the Wonsan area on its east coast on the morning of Saturday, 3 October, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The launch was detected at around 06:30 Korean time (00:30 in Greece). The initial South Korean announcement did not identify the missile type or give a flight distance.
South Korean forces stepped up surveillance for further launches and shared information with the United States and Japan. Japanese authorities warned of a possible ballistic missile, and the coast guard advised vessels to take care after the projectile appeared to have fallen into the sea.
Subsequent South Korean assessment put the flight at more than 700 kilometres. North Korean state media on Sunday described the weapon as an intermediate-range strategic missile and said it hit a target 1,000 kilometres away in the sea. The differing distances are the respective governments’ accounts and have not been reconciled. Pyongyang said leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the drill, intended to test its strategic force’s operations and mobility.
Dispute over mines in the Demilitarized Zone
The launch followed a dispute over a 21 September mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers. On 30 September, South Korea’s military and the United Nations Command concluded that North Korea had violated the Korean War armistice, and Seoul demanded an apology. Pyongyang denies responsibility for deliberately placing mines to target South Korean troops.
In a statement carried by North Korea’s state news agency on Friday, Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, rejected Seoul’s accusation and called the demand for an apology a fabrication. Her account contradicts the South Korean and United Nations Command findings. The mine incident has added to tension along a border where the two sides have reinforced positions and sharply curtailed dialogue.
North Korea previously launched two ballistic missiles on 20 September, about three hours apart. The first was also fired from the Wonsan area and was assessed to have flown around 450 kilometres; the second was assessed at roughly 600 kilometres. South Korea’s military said it remained alert for additional launches after the 3 October test. The tests followed an earlier combined missile, artillery and drone drill that Pyongyang publicised in September.
