Published Oct 28, 2026 9:21 pm : Updated Oct 29, 2026 4:31 am
North Korea's artillery weapon is seen from the observatory in Gimpo, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched a barrage of ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Thursday, South Korea’s military said, days after the North threatened to resume front-line propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploy new weapons along the rivals’ tense border.
The launches also followed leader Kim Jong Un’s surprise weekend visit to China, the North’s main ally and economic lifeline, to push for greater cooperation.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected about 10 short-range ballistic missiles fired from North Korea’s eastern coastal town of Wonsan and that they each flew about 250 kilometers (155 miles). It said South Korea’s military maintained its readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea in close coordination with the United States. Japan’s Defense Ministry also reported a suspected ballistic missile launch by North Korea.
Animosity between the Koreas has deepened since last month’s land mine blasts at the border that injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul accused North Korea of planting mines south of the military demarcation line and demanded an apology. But Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the explosions and warned of retaliation if provoked.
Last week, North Korea said it would restart propaganda broadcasts and place new weapons systems on alert along the border in protest against what it called repeated warning shots by South Korean troops at border areas. South Korea later proposed talks on clarifying the border to prevent accidental clashes, but North Korea hasn’t responded.
During a visit to a South Korean border town earlier this week, Associated Press journalists saw North Korean artillery guns located on the other side of the border that had not been previously visible.
In recent years, North Korea has been placing more mines, barbed-wire fences and other defense structures along the border in line with Kim’s policy of severing ties with South Korea. Seoul has said North Korean troops have repeatedly violated the border during the work and that South Korea’s military has responded by firing warning shots. North Korea has denied the alleged border breaches.
North Korea has in recent weeks ramped up weapons tests in a likely bid to win greater U.S. concessions as President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to restore diplomacy with Kim.
On Saturday, Kim visited the Chinese border city of Dandong via a newly inaugurated bridge to pay his respects at a memorial marking China’s support of North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was his sixth visit to China as leader.
At the memorial, Kim said North Korea will firmly carry forward “the invincible” friendship with China. Meeting with a top Chinese official later Saturday, Kim reaffirmed his resolve to develop bilateral cooperation.
Kim has recently taken steps to bolster ties with China after years of prioritizing ties with Russia, including by sending troops and ammunitions to support its war against Ukraine.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday that Beijing hoped all relevant nations would stay committed to a political settlement to resolve tensions on the Korean Peninsula and seek to promote regional peace.
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Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing contributed to this report.
By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press
This post was last modified on 10/29/2026 4:31 am