North Korea test-launched several ballistic missiles. According to Japan, one of the munitions appeared to be a hypersonic missile. 

Jang Do-young, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said North Korea fired several missiles from near Pyongyang into its eastern waters. Seoul reported one of the missiles traveled more than 900 km. Japanese officials said one of the missiles followed an irregular flight path, suggesting it may have been a hypersonic weapon.

North Korea’s launches followed South Korea’s first successful test of a domestically developed hypersonic weapon last week. The weapons tests come amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. 

Over the past two months, the US has led two major rounds of war games in the region. In August, the US and South Korea held the bilateral Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises. Trump ordered the drills cut roughly in half, arguing they sent an unnecessarily hostile message to North Korea. However, the trilateral US-South Korea-Japan Freedom Edge exercises went forward as planned last month.

Trump scaled back the war games as he offered to meet with Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and predicted the two would meet later this year. However, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, rebuked the overture, saying that merely scaling back the war games did not change the hostile US policy towards North Korea. 

Adding to the tensions in the region are moves by South Korea and Japan toward acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Washington has approved Seoul’s plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines, while the possibility of Japan acquiring similar vessels has also drawn support from a US Navy official.

Additionally, last month, a mine exploded south of the border, injuring three South Korean soldiers. Seoul has accused North Korea of planting mines within its territory, a charge Pyongyang denies.