North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Friday, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly backed South Korea’s plan to develop a nuclear-powered submarine — a move that analysts say could sharply heighten regional tensions.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the projectile was launched around 12:35 p.m. local time from an area north of Pyongyang, travelling about 700 kilometres before splashing down in waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
No casualties or damage were reported, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed.
The launch marks the latest in a string of weapons tests by Pyongyang aimed at advancing its precision strike capabilities and showcasing military power amid growing alignment with Russia and China.
Experts believe the missile test may be a direct response to Trump’s endorsement of Seoul’s nuclear submarine programme — a defence milestone that could allow South Korea to monitor North Korean waters more effectively and potentially intercept submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
“From North Korea’s standpoint, a nuclear-powered South Korean submarine poses a new strategic threat,” said Ahn Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies. “It challenges Pyongyang’s ability to move undetected and undermines its deterrence posture.”
Trump, during his recent address, announced that South Korea would build the submarine in the United States, noting that such cooperation underscored “the strength of U.S.-Korea defence ties.” Nuclear submarine technology, however, remains among the most sensitive military secrets globally.
Unlike conventional diesel-powered submarines that must surface regularly, nuclear-powered ones can operate underwater for extended periods, giving them greater stealth and endurance.
Only a handful of nations — including the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, India, and Australia — possess or are developing such vessels.
READ ALSO: North Korea Draws a Red Line Ahead of US–South Korea Military Drills
Since the breakdown of Trump’s 2019 summit with Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, North Korea has declared itself an “irreversible nuclear state” and increased weapons testing despite international sanctions.
Recent developments suggest Pyongyang is strengthening alliances with Moscow and Beijing.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow this week to reaffirm military and economic cooperation, further cementing ties amid global isolation.
Although Trump recently hinted at a willingness to meet Kim again, Pyongyang has remained silent. South Korean intelligence officials, however, told lawmakers that North Korea “appears to be preparing for possible talks with the U.S. when conditions are right.”
The missile test underscores the volatility surrounding Northeast Asia’s security landscape — one now defined by renewed great-power rivalry, shifting alliances, and the re-emergence of nuclear brinkmanship.