On May 8, 2025, North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern port city of Wonsan, with the farthest traveling approximately 800 kilometers (497 miles) before landing in the sea. The launches occurred between 8:10 and 9:20 a.m. local time and were supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
State media reported that the tests simulated nuclear counterstrikes against the U.S. and South Korea, employing systems capable of delivering tactical nuclear payloads.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated that the tests likely involved short-range ballistic missile systems modeled after Russia’s Iskander and large-caliber rocket artillery systems. These exercises are suspected to be performance tests for weapons that North Korea plans to export, particularly to Russia, amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine.
The missile launches coincide with North Korea’s deepening military ties with Russia. Reports suggest that North Korea has supplied short-range ballistic missiles to Russia and deployed troops to support Russian operations in Ukraine, with approximately 600 North Korean troops reported killed in action.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command made a statement, saying, “We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.”
These actions violate United Nations Security Council resolutions and have been condemned by South Korea’s Unification Ministry as provocative and a serious threat to regional peace and stability.
