Seoul Convenes Emergency Security Meeting After North Korean Missile Launch

South Korea's presidential National Security Office convened an emergency meeting Saturday after North Korea launched at least one ballistic missile toward the East Sea, as tensions continued to rise along the inter-Korean border.

The presidential office said the meeting was called to discuss the launch and assess the security situation. The National Security Office described the firing as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to stop what it called provocative action immediately.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launch at about 6:30 a.m. from the Wonsan area on North Korea's east coast. The military later said the missile traveled more than 700 kilometers. South Korean forces increased surveillance for possible additional launches and maintained a heightened readiness posture while sharing information with the United States and Japan.

The launch came amid renewed friction following a September 21 land mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. Three South Korean soldiers were injured in the blast, two of them seriously. Seoul's military has said North Korean mines caused the explosion and has characterized the incident as a violation of the armistice agreement. It has demanded an apology and called on North Korea to halt fortification work near the border.

Pyongyang has denied responsibility. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a senior voice in the regime, repeated that denial Friday and criticized President Lee Jae Myung's efforts to lower military tensions. She also rejected a proposal from South Korea's unification minister for talks on clarifying the Military Demarcation Line, whose reduced visibility Seoul has cited as a factor in the blast.

Saturday's missile firing occurred 13 days after North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea. The latest launch, followed by the emergency presidential security meeting, adds pressure on Seoul's effort to pair military readiness with calls for renewed inter-Korean dialogue.

The government did not immediately announce additional measures after the meeting. Its public response centered on condemning the launch, reaffirming the international restrictions on North Korea's ballistic missile program and maintaining coordination with allied and regional partners.