North Korea launches multiple missiles towards South Korea’s eastern waters, says South Korea

North Korea fired a barrage of suspected ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea on Thursday, according to South Korea’s military. The launch came just days after a failed attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite, drawing strong condemnation from its rivals.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that around 10 projectiles, believed to be short-range ballistic missiles, were fired from an area near Pyongyang. The missiles flew approximately 350 kilometers before landing in waters off North Korea’s eastern coast. South Korea has increased surveillance and vigilance, sharing information closely with the United States and Japan.

Japan’s coast guard issued a maritime safety advisory and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida strongly condemned the launches, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been escalating as North Korea continues weapons testing and South Korea conducts military exercises with the U.S. and Japan.

The launches followed North Korea’s retaliation against South Korean activists flying anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned of “overwhelming actions” against South Korea after a recent aerial exercise near the inter-Korean border.

Despite Monday’s failed satellite launch, Kim urged his military scientists to continue developing space-based reconnaissance capabilities. The international community has condemned North Korea’s actions, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling it a violation of Security Council resolutions.

Thursday’s launches are the latest in a series of weapons tests by North Korea, including the testing of cruise missiles, artillery systems, and a solid-fuel intermediate range missile with hypersonic warhead capabilities. Experts believe this missile is designed to reach remote U.S. targets in the Pacific.