UPDATE - North Korea fires new year’s 1st ballistic missile toward East Sea

UPDATES WITH REACTION BY US INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said early Sunday.

The JCS confirmed the detection of the launch but did not immediately provide additional details such as the missile's type, flight distance, or altitude.

It marked the first ballistic missile test by Pyongyang since Nov. 7, 2025, when a similar projectile was launched into the same body of water.

“Our military is maintaining a readiness posture while closely monitoring the situation,” the JCS said in a brief statement, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

The South Korean military said it is cooperating with US forces to assess the launch and determine its implications for regional security.

Reacting to the launch, the US military's Indo-Pacific Command struck a measured tone, saying it was aware of the development, but it "does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies."

"The United States remains committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region," it said in a post on US social media company X.