North Korea fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea on March 14, 2026, in what South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff described as a show of force, as South Korea and the United States conduct their annual Freedom Shield military exercise . The missiles were launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang’s international airport and traveled roughly 350 kilometers, South Korea’s military reported. Shinjiro Koizumi , Japan’s defense minister, said the missiles landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone with no reported damage to aircraft or ships. The 11-day Freedom Shield exercis

North Korea fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea on March 14, 2026, in what South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff described as a show of force, as South Korea and the United States conduct their annual Freedom Shield military exercise.

The missiles were launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang’s international airport and traveled roughly 350 kilometers, South Korea’s military reported.

Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan’s defense minister, said the missiles landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone with no reported damage to aircraft or ships.

The 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, running through March 19, involves thousands of troops and tests the allies’ joint command capabilities. It is accompanied by field training exercises called Warrior Shield. South Korea’s military said it has stepped up surveillance and is coordinating closely with the U.S. and Japan.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned earlier this week that the drills could bring “terrible consequences” if they threaten North Korea’s security.

The launches come amid ongoing U.S.–Israel military operations against Iran, prompting speculation in South Korean media that some U.S. missile-defense assets on the peninsula could be redeployed.

Officials in the office of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said they could not confirm reports of any relocation of the THAAD missile-defense system in Seongju but emphasized that South Korea’s defense posture against North Korea remains strong.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met President Donald Trump in Washington earlier this week and expressed hope for renewed diplomacy with Pyongyang.

Saturday’s launches highlight the continued stalemate after talks between Washington and Pyongyang collapsed in 2019, when the Hanoi summit ended without an agreement. Trump and Kim met three times overall: Singapore (2018), Hanoi (2019), and the Korean Demilitarized Zone later in 2019.

North Korea has since hardened its stance toward Washington and Seoul while expanding its missile and nuclear programs.

There was no immediate comment from the Pentagon or the White House following the launches.

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