North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday, March 15, 2026, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported. The launches occurred from a site in the Sunan area of Pyongyang between 5:44 a.m. and 6:36 a.m. local time.
The South Korean military said the missiles flew approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) before landing in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. It assessed the launches as a show of force and a provocation.
The missile tests coincided with the final day of the annual Freedom Shield joint military exercises conducted by South Korea and the United States. The drills, which began on March 3, also involved Japan for the first time in a trilateral maritime exercise. North Korea has consistently condemned such joint drills as rehearsals for invasion.
South Korea's JCS stated it maintains a firm readiness posture in close coordination with the United States and Japan. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command reaffirmed its commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan, calling the launches a destabilizing act that violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
