North Korea fired approximately 10 ballistic missiles on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from the Sunan area near Pyongyang at around 1:20 p.m. local time, heading toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan), according to South Korean and Japanese military officials.
The missiles flew approximately 350 kilometers before landing in the sea, outside Japan's exclusive economic zone with no reported damage to aircraft or ships. South Korean and US authorities are conducting detailed analysis of the missile specifications.
The launches occurred during ongoing US-South Korea military exercises, specifically the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise running through March 19. North Korea has long described the allies' drills as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned earlier this week that any challenge to the North's safety would bring "terrible consequences" regarding the military exercises. This marks the third time North Korea has fired ballistic missiles since the start of 2026, continuing a pattern of weapons testing during international military drills.
