North Korea fires barrage of short-range missiles off its eastern coast

North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s military said. North Korea fires a ballistic missile off its eastern coast Sept. 20, 2026, in this image from the state-run Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency) North Korea fired roughly 10 short-range ballistic missiles Thursday, a day after the United States and other allied governments announced sanctions against Pyongyang to disrupt its weapons development. The missiles were launched around 12:30 p.m. from the Wonsan area, roughly 90 miles northeast of Pyongyang, toward the East Sea, or Sea of Japan, and flew about 155 miles, a South Korean Ministry of National Defense spokesman told reporters via text message Thursday.

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that Washington, the European Union and Australia have implemented sanctions targeting the North’s use of overseas workers, malicious cyber activities and actors involved in unlawful Russia cooperation, according to a joint statement. The sanctions, which the State Department did not specify, are intended to disrupt Pyongyang’s ability to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, and to counter unlawful cooperation with Russia’s military. “The South Korean military has strengthened its surveillance and vigilance against the possibility of further launches,” the South’s Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday. South Korea, the U.S. and Japan