SEOUL, April 19 (AJP) -North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from its submarine hub of Sinpo early Sunday in its latest string of weapons tests over the last two months amid ongoing war in the Gulf, raising the possibility of a submarine-linked launch as Pyongyang advances its sea-based nuclear ambitions.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the launches were detected at around 6:10 a.m. from the Sinpo area, with the missiles flying about 140 kilometers.
South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles’ specifications and trajectory, with officials not ruling out a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test, while noting the unusually short range.
South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting shortly after the launch, led by National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-jong, to assess the situation and review response measures.
Participants reaffirmed a firm joint defense posture with the United States and agreed to closely monitor further North Korean activity.
“Our military is closely monitoring North Korea’s various movements under a robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and maintains the capabilities and posture to respond to any provocation in an overwhelming manner,” the JCS said, adding that Seoul, Washington and Tokyo are sharing related intelligence.
The firing comes 11 days after Pyongyang last launched ballistic missiles on April 8, when it conducted two tests in a single day. A day earlier, on April 7, the North fired another projectile that appeared to fail shortly after launch.
Sunday’s launch is the seventh ballistic missile test by North Korea this year, following earlier firings on Jan. 4, Jan. 27 and March 14, according to military data.
It follows a series of recent weapons developments, including claimed trials of cluster-munition warheads, electromagnetic systems and upgraded missile engines, pointing to a broad-based effort to enhance tactical and strategic capabilities.
The provocations also fall in the background of heightened regional tensions and ahead of a planned visit by Donald Trump to China next month, where North Korea is expected to be a key topic in talks with Xi Jinping along with the Middle East crisis.
North Korea’s submarine-based nuclear ambitions have drawn renewed scrutiny since December 2025, when leader Kim Jong Un inspected what state media described as the country’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN).
Estimated at over 8,000 tons, the platform would mark a major leap from the North’s aging, conventionally powered fleet and is believed capable of carrying multiple SLBMs, potentially from the Pukguksong-5 series. Analysts say such a system — if operational — would significantly strengthen Pyongyang’s second-strike capability by enabling more survivable, sea-based nuclear deployments.
Sinpo, the site of Sunday’s launch, has long served as the hub of North Korea’s SLBM program, underscoring the strategic significance of the latest activity.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
