North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea on Thursday morning, just one day ahead of Russia's high-profile Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
The move appears to be a calculated show of strength aimed at both North Korea's anti-Western allies and the United States.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met to mark the end of World War II at Moscow's Red Square, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un opted for a different approach.
According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were launched between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from Wonsan in Gangwon Province. They traveled as far as 497 miles northeast toward waters beyond the East Sea's Al Island.
Military analysts suggest the launch involved the KN-23 and KN-25, North Korean variants of Russia's Iskander system and a 600mm superlarge multiple rocket launcher, respectively. The KN-24, often grouped with these models in what experts call North Korea's "SRBM trio," was not confirmed in this test.
A JCS official noted that South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies had detected signs of the launch in advance and have since conducted joint postlaunch analysis with Japan. Military authorities remain on alert for further provocations.
This is North Korea's first ballistic missile test in nearly two months and its second since the start of President Donald Trump's second term. The timing — on the eve of Russia's May 9 parade — appears intentional.
As Russia touts military victories, including the reported recapture of most of Kursk, and enters intensified cease-fire talks, the Victory Day event takes on special diplomatic weight. North Korea's decision to stage a launch rather than send a high-level delegation to Moscow may reflect internal calculations about its role within the anti-U.S. bloc.
"[The launch] may have been Kim's way of aligning with anti-U.S. solidarity led by China and Russia, despite his absence from the event," said Hyun Seung-soo, deputy head of the Korea Institute for National Unification.
Kim's recent inspections of weapons factories and the latest SRBM launches also serve as a defense industry showcase.
