N. Korea fires nearly dozen ballistic missiles after S. Korea's dialogue offer

North Korea fired about a dozen short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea from the Wonsan area on Thursday, in an apparent rebuff to Seoul’s offer for military talks. The missiles were launched at around 12:30 p.m. and flew about 250 kilometers, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The launch followed heightened border tensions after a Sept. 21 land mine blast injured three South Korean soldiers. The JCS said it was monitoring North Korean activity and maintaining a defense posture with the United States and Japan.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was coordinating with the United States to analyze further specifications of the missiles.

Seoul proposed military talks about a week before the launch to resolve discrepancies in the two Koreas’ border demarcations.

Pyongyang denied responsibility for the land mine blast and accused Seoul of shifting blame to North Korea.

A North Korean self-propelled howitzer was spotted along the western front line earlier in the week, and a JCS official described its deployment as intended primarily “for show.”

Pyongyang test-fired what it claimed were tactical ballistic missiles on Oct. 12 to improve a key weapons component.

Published Oct 29, 2026 12:58 pm KST

Updated Oct 29, 2026 3:00 pm KST

A submarine-launched strategic cruise missile is test-fired in the East Sea on Oct. 14, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) the following day. Yonhap

North Korea fired about a dozen short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, the South Korean military said, in an apparent cold rebuff to Seoul's offer for talks aimed at easing border tensions sparked by a recent land mine blast.

The missiles were launched from the Wonsan area on the North's east coast at around 12:30 p.m. and flew about 250 kilometers, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, adding that further analysis of other specifications was under way with coordination with the United States.

The latest launch came about a week after Seoul proposed holding military talks with Pyongyang to resolve discrepancies in their border demarcations, as tensions have heightened since the Sept. 21 land mine blast that injured three South Korean soldiers.

The explosion occurred at a time when the South Korean military was looking into the North's potential breaches of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) as it fortifies its border by building fences and laying land mines.

Denying its responsibility for the mine blast, Pyongyang has issued a volley of statements accusing Seoul of shifting the blame to the regime, threatening to deploy weapons and resume loudspeaker broadcasts of anti-South propaganda along the border.

A North Korean self-propelled howitzer was spotted along the western front line of the border earlier this week, positioned far enough south to be captured by South Korean media cameras.

The South's military said the North appears to have deployed a legacy artillery piece rather than a new weapons system. A JCS official said Thursday the military regards the move as intended primarily "for show."

Thursday's missile launch came more than two weeks after Pyongyang test-fired on Oct. 12 what it claimed were tactical ballistic missiles aimed at improving a key weapons component.

The JCS said it has stepped up surveillance and remains vigilant against any potential additional launches, while maintaining a robust defense posture through close information-sharing with the United States and Japan related to the latest missile launch.

"Based on a staunch South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring various North Korean activities as we maintain the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocation," the JCS said.

周四，朝鲜从元山地区向东海发射了约十几枚短程弹道导弹，这显然是对首尔提出的军事会谈提议的回应。韩国联合参谋本部表示，导弹于下午12:30左右发射，飞行距离约250公里。此次发射是在9月21日一枚地雷爆炸导致三名韩国士兵受伤后，边境紧张局势升级的背景下进行的。联合参谋本部表示，正在密切关注朝鲜的活动，并与美国和日本保持着防御态势。

美国参谋长联席会议表示，正在与美国协调，进一步分析导弹的具体规格。

首尔方面提议在发射前一周左右举行军事会谈，以解决朝韩两国在边界划分上的分歧。

平壤否认对地雷爆炸事件负责，并指责首尔将责任推卸给朝鲜。

本周早些时候，有人在西部前线发现了一门朝鲜自行榴弹炮，一位参谋长联席会议官员称其部署主要是为了“作秀”。

10月12日，平壤试射了据称是战术弹道导弹的导弹，以改进关键武器部件。

发布于2026年10月29日下午12:58（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月29日下午3:00（韩国标准时间）

这张照片由朝鲜官方通讯社朝中社于次日发布，照片显示，10月14日，一枚潜射战略巡航导弹在东海进行试射。（韩联社）

韩国军方称，朝鲜周四向东海发射了约十几枚短程弹道导弹，这显然是对首尔提出的旨在缓解近期地雷爆炸引发的边境紧张局势的会谈提议的冷漠拒绝。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，导弹于下午12点30分左右从朝鲜东海岸元山地区发射，飞行了约250公里。联合参谋本部还表示，正在与美国协调，对其他规格进行进一步分析。

就在首尔提议与平壤举行军事会谈以解决两国边界划分分歧约一周后，韩国方面进行了最新一次导弹发射。此前，9月21日韩国士兵在朝鲜境内遭遇地雷爆炸，导致三名韩国士兵受伤，两国紧张局势加剧。

爆炸发生之际，韩国军方正在调查朝鲜可能突破军事分界线（MDL）的行为，因为朝鲜正在修建围栏和埋设地雷来加强其边界防御。

平壤否认对地雷爆炸事件负有责任，并发表了一系列声明，指责首尔将责任推卸给朝鲜政权，威胁要部署武器，并恢复在边境沿线用扩音器播放反韩宣传。

本周早些时候，一门朝鲜自行榴弹炮被发现在朝韩边境西线，其位置足够靠南，被韩国媒体的摄像机拍到。

韩国军方表示，朝鲜似乎部署的是一门老式火炮，而非新型武器系统。韩国联合参谋本部一名官员周四表示，军方认为此举主要是为了“作秀”。

周四的导弹发射发生在平壤于 10 月 12 日试射其声称旨在改进关键武器部件的战术弹道导弹两周多之后。

日本联合参谋本部表示，已加强监视，并对任何潜在的额外发射保持警惕，同时通过与美国和日本密切共享与最新导弹发射相关的信息，保持强大的防御态势。

“基于坚定的韩美联合防御态势，我军正密切关注朝鲜的各种活动，并保持着对任何挑衅行为予以压倒性回应的能力和准备。”韩国联合参谋本部表示。