North Korea fires two ballistic missiles off east coast in three hours
Summary
On September 20, 2026, North Korea launched two missiles off its eastern coast, marking its second set of missile tests within a week. This action followed Pyongyang's accusations against the United States for escalating tensions through military drills with South Korea and Japan. According to South Korea's defense ministry, the first missile was identified as a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) and flew approximately 450 km. The subsequent launch, which occurred just three hours later, is suspected to also be a ballistic missile, pending confirmation. In response, South Korea's National Security Council condemned the launches, which violate UN Security Council resolutions, and intelligence agencies from South Korea, the US, and Japan have been coordinating their responses.