SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea conducted a missile test on Monday that raised concerns after one of the missiles appeared to have flown abnormally. This test came shortly after North Korea had promised strong responses to a military drill held by the United States, South Korea, and Japan.

The two ballistic missiles were launched from southeastern North Korea towards the northeast, with the first missile traveling 370 miles and the second only 75 miles. Although the exact landing locations were not disclosed, experts noted that the second missile did not reach North Korea’s usual eastern waters, indicating a potential issue during its flight.

During a briefing, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff revealed that the second missile had experienced abnormal flight behavior at the start. While no damages were reported, further analysis of the launch was ongoing to understand the cause of this deviation.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly condemned North Korea’s missile launches, labeling them as provocative actions that pose a significant threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea reaffirmed its readiness to respond to any provocations from North Korea in collaboration with the United States.

The missile tests followed the conclusion of a multilateral military exercise involving South Korea, the U.S., and Japan aimed at enhancing their collective defense capabilities against evolving threats from North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s growing assertiveness in the region. This exercise, dubbed “Freedom Edge,” featured joint air and naval drills focused on improving various defense and surveillance skills.

In a statement, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticized the trilateral drill, comparing the partnership between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan to NATO and accusing the alliance of destabilizing the security environment on the Korean Peninsula. The statement warned of decisive countermeasures to protect North Korea’s sovereignty and regional peace.

The recent missile firings marked North Korea’s first weapons test in five days, following a previous launch of a multiwarhead missile targeted at defeating U.S. and South Korean missile defense systems. The ongoing provocations highlight the continued tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the challenges faced by regional security efforts.