"North Korea, Never Like This"…25 Missiles in One Day 'Record High' (Comprehensive)

25 Missiles Fired Over East and West Seas in 10 Hours
Military Scrambles Fighter Jets... Responds with 3 Air-to-Ground Missiles
President Yoon Chairs NSC: "Substantial Territorial Infringement"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] North Korea's level of military provocations is escalating to unprecedented heights. For the first time since the division of the Korean Peninsula, it launched ballistic missiles crossing the Northern Limit Line (NLL) and approaching our territorial waters, followed by over 100 artillery shells violating the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement once again. Over a 10-hour period, North Korea fired about 25 missiles, marking the highest number ever recorded in a single day.

The military authorities also scrambled fighter jets and fired air-to-ground missiles north of the NLL in response. This is also the first time our military has launched missiles crossing the NLL. These provocations are interpreted as taking advantage of the joint South Korea-U.S. air exercise 'Vigilant Storm.' With the possibility of a seventh nuclear test still present, the level of aggression is expected to rise further.

Unprecedented Missile Provocation... "North Korea Has Never Done This Before"

Attack formation flight deploying F-15K and F-16 fighter jets
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 2nd, from 6:51 a.m. to 5:10 p.m., over approximately 10 hours and in four waves, North Korea launched about 25 missiles into the East and West Seas. North Korea carried out three missile provocations just in the morning. It began around 6:51 a.m. with the launch of four short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) from the Pyonganbuk-do Jeongju City and Pihyeon County area into the West Sea.

Two hours later, around 8:51 a.m., North Korea again fired three SRBMs from the Wonsan area in Gangwon-do into the East Sea. One of these missiles headed toward Ulleungdo but fell into international waters. The exact impact point was 26 km south of the NLL, 57 km east of Sokcho, and 167 km northwest of Ulleungdo. This marks the first time in history that a North Korean ballistic missile has fallen near our territorial waters south of the NLL. As the missile was directed southward, especially toward Ulleungdo, an air raid alert was issued for the entire Ulleungdo area for the first time. The air raid alert due to North Korean provocations is the first since the launch of Kwangmyongsong-4 in February 2016, 6 years and 9 months ago.

Following this, from 9:12 a.m., North Korea launched about 10 additional projectiles, presumed to be SRBMs and surface-to-air missiles, from the areas of Nakwon, Jeongpyeong, and Sinpo in South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea, and from Oncheon and Hwajinri in South Pyongan Province and Gwail in South Hwanghae Province into the West Sea. In total, North Korea fired nearly 17 to 20 missiles just in the morning.

After a brief lull, North Korea launched six more projectiles, presumed to be surface-to-air missiles, from the Seondeok and Sinpo areas into the East Sea and from Gwail and Oncheon areas into the West Sea between 4:30 p.m. and 5:10 p.m.

Additionally, around 1:27 p.m., North Korea conducted over 100 artillery shellings from the Goseong County area in Gangwon-do into the northern maritime buffer zone of the East Sea NLL. This is a clear violation of the September 19 military agreement.

Yoon: "Substantial Territorial Infringement"... Military Scrambles Fighter Jets

President Yoon Suk-yeol is presiding over an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting at the National Crisis Management Center in the Yongsan Presidential Office Building, Seoul, on the 2nd, in relation to North Korea's ballistic missile launch. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol convened an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting immediately after the missile detection announcement and defined North Korea's provocations as a "substantial territorial infringement." He instructed, "Respond strictly so that North Korea pays the price for its provocations."

The fact that these provocations occurred during the national mourning period following the Itaewon tragedy is also considered unusual. President Yoon wrote on Facebook, "I feel deep anger at North Korea's provocations committed during the national mourning period," and officials attending the NSC also criticized, saying, "This provocation clearly shows the North Korean regime's disregard for humanity and humanitarianism."

In the political sphere, there were also unexpected assessments regarding North Korea's intention to launch missiles during the mourning period.

Jung Jin-seok, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, strongly condemned North Korea, saying, "Despite knowing that the entire nation is in sorrow, they carried out provocations without any concern," calling them an "incorrigible group." He added, "We must clearly understand what North Korea's ballistic missile provocations are targeting," and expressed suspicion that "the provocations are taking a different form than before."

The military authorities responded by scrambling fighter jets. South Korean Air Force F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets fired three air-to-ground missiles into international waters north of the East Sea NLL, corresponding to the missile impact areas of North Korea's provocations. The firing took place from 11:10 a.m. over about an hour, using air-to-ground missiles Slam-ER and Spice-2000.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Seung-gyeom closely shared information on North Korea's ballistic missile launches with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera during a South Korea-U.S. coordination meeting and confirmed strengthening the combined defense posture against North Korea's threats and provocations.

Aimed at South Korea-U.S. Joint Exercises... Attempt to Neutralize Interception Systems

On the morning of the 2nd, citizens at Seoul Station are watching news related to North Korea's ballistic missile launch. [Image source=Yonhap News]

From early morning to late afternoon, North Korea indiscriminately launched missiles and artillery shells from multiple locations on both the east and west coasts. Although North Korea fired eight SRBMs in June this year, this is the first time it has indiscriminately launched as many as 25 missiles in a single day. By mixing various types of missiles from different locations, it is analyzed that North Korea intended to neutralize our military's interception systems.

In particular, this provocation appears to be aimed at the South Korea-U.S. joint air exercise 'Vigilant Storm,' which is taking place from the 31st of last month through the 4th of this month.

In fact, North Korea raised the threat level sharply nine hours before carrying out the all-out provocations. Pak Jong-chon, Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party Central Military Commission and a 'core' figure in the North Korean military, warned in a statement, "If the U.S. and South Korea use force against us, they will pay a terrible price."

On the first night of Vigilant Storm, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson threatened through a statement, "If severe military provocations continue, we will consider stronger next-step measures."

While it is typical for North Korea to carry out provocations after issuing condemnations or statements, recent repeated verbal threats mentioning "next measures" or "special means of force" are interpreted as alluding to nuclear capabilities. Above all, since Pak Jong-chon is considered the top-ranking military official, this statement is also interpreted as a warning reflecting the will of Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party.

Accordingly, concerns about a seventh nuclear test are also growing. The National Intelligence Service maintains the view that the likelihood of a nuclear test is highest ahead of the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for the 8th. However, some speculate that North Korea may hold the nuclear test as a last card and precede it with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch. It is analyzed that North Korea will observe the U.S. reaction to the ICBM launch before deciding on the timing and execution of a nuclear test.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.