North Korea fires ballistic missile days after Hegseth wraps South Korea visit

North Korea launched a ballistic rocket disconnected its eastbound seashore Friday, conscionable days aft U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth wrapped up a sojourn to South Korea focused connected deterring Pyongyang and reinforcing the confederation betwixt the 2 countries.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the suspected short-range rocket was fired from an inland country astir the occidental region of Taekwan toward the East Sea, traveling astir 435 miles. The motorboat was reported by Reuters and The Associated Press, citing subject officials successful Seoul and Tokyo.

No injuries oregon harm were reported, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said. Seoul’s subject added that it had detected signs of preparations earlier the motorboat and was monitoring further enactment successful the area, according to The Associated Press.

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILES DAYS BEFORE TRUMP'S VISIT TO THE PENINSULA

U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, shakes hands with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back for a photograph astatine the 57th Security Consultative Meeting astatine the Defense Ministry successful Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP)

Reuters reported that North Korea has conducted respective rocket launches successful caller weeks, including systems it claims are "cutting-edge" strategical weapons.

During his three-day sojourn to South Korea connected Nov. 4, Hegseth spoke to reporters pursuing yearly information talks with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back successful Seoul and said helium was "greatly encouraged" by Seoul’s committedness to expanding defence spending and investing much heavy successful its ain subject capabilities. He said some allies agreed that these investments would fortify South Korea’s quality to instrumentality the pb successful accepted deterrence against its bluish adversary.

Hegseth added that President Donald Trump’s determination to enactment South Korea’s plans to physique nuclear-powered submarines was driven by his tendency to person beardown allies. "And due to the fact that Korea has been a exemplary ally, he’s unfastened to opportunities similar that, that guarantee they person the champion capabilities successful their ain defence and alongside america arsenic allies," helium said.

HEGSETH APPLAUDS SOUTH KOREA'S PLAN TO TAKE LARGER ROLE IN DEFENSE AGAINST NORTH KOREAN AGGRESSION

People ticker a quality programme broadcasting a record representation of a rocket motorboat by North Korea, astatine the Seoul Railway Station successful Seoul, South Korea, May 30, 2024. (Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo)

The United States and South Korea person maintained adjacent subject coordination arsenic Pyongyang accelerates its weapons investigating program. Hegseth’s sojourn was meant to reaffirm U.S. committedness to the confederation and stress deterrence against North Korea. His remarks successful Seoul echoed earlier statements that the confederation volition enactment focused connected deterring North Korea.

When asked whether the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed successful South Korea mightiness beryllium utilized successful conflicts beyond the peninsula, including with China, Hegseth said that protecting against nuclear-armed North Korea remains the alliance’s superior goal. "But there’s nary uncertainty that flexibility for determination contingency is thing we would instrumentality a look at," helium told reporters.

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U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth, 2nd from left, and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, center, sojourn the Observation Post Ouellette adjacent the borderline colony of Panmunjom, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP)

Friday’s motorboat underscores the fragile information concern connected the peninsula and highlights ongoing tensions arsenic North Korea continues to grow its rocket capabilities. Both Seoul and Tokyo said they are analyzing the motorboat successful coordination with the United States.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this story.