North Korea missile launch [Yonhap]
North Korea missile launch [Yonhap]

North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple ballistic missiles Monday morning, with the Japanese government saying both projectiles appeared to have landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japan's Coast Guard announced around 9:26 a.m., based on information received from the Defense Ministry, that "an object presumed to be a ballistic missile fired by North Korea appears to have already landed outside Japan's EEZ," according to Kyodo News and NHK.

The Coast Guard then announced around 9:40 a.m. that North Korea had fired an additional projectile also presumed to be a ballistic missile.

The agency urged vessels navigating nearby waters to monitor the situation and take precautions for their safety.

The Defense Ministry said it was gathering information to determine whether the launches posed any threat to Japan.

The Japanese government assembled an emergency response team of ministry officials at the crisis management center in the prime minister's office to assess any damage.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi directed relevant ministries to make every effort to collect and analyze information on the launches and to thoroughly confirm the safety of aircraft and vessels.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also announced Monday morning that North Korea had fired unidentified projectiles into the Donghae.

If confirmed as ballistic missiles, the launches would mark North Korea's first such test in nine days, following a launch on Oct. 3.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com