North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Toward East Sea Amid Rising Border Tensions

North Korea launched a ballistic missile towards the East Sea on Saturday, South Korea's military said, as tensions between the two Koreas remained elevated following a landmine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers near the inter-Korean border.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launch at around 6:30 a.m. from the Wonsan area on North Korea's east coast. The military said the projectile travelled more than 700 km before falling into the sea, while South Korean and US authorities continued analysing its precise specifications.

The JCS said South Korean and US intelligence agencies had been monitoring the launch from an early stage and were sharing information. Seoul also said it had strengthened surveillance for the possibility of additional launches and was maintaining its combined defence readiness with Washington.

The military has not publicly identified the missile's exact type. South Korean officials are examining whether it could have been a medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile, including the possibility of a reduced-range launch of an IRBM. A government source said the projectile appeared similar to a missile launched from Wonsan on August 12, which also travelled more than 700 km.

The latest launch came amid a fresh dispute over a September 21 landmine explosion inside the Demilitarised Zone. Three South Korean soldiers were injured in the blast, with two suffering serious injuries.

South Korean authorities have attributed the incident to a North Korean landmine and, along with the UN Command, have described it as a violation of the Korean War armistice. Seoul has demanded an apology from Pyongyang and called for an end to North Korean fortification activity along the border.

North Korea has rejected the accusation. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a senior official, has accused Seoul of fabricating evidence and warned of retaliation if South Korea takes what Pyongyang considers corresponding action. She repeated the denial in a statement issued on Friday and criticised South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's efforts to reduce military tensions.

Kim also rejected a proposal from South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young for dialogue over the Military Demarcation Line. Chung has pointed to the deteriorating visibility of the boundary markers as one possible factor behind the recent blast.

Saturday's launch was the latest in a series of North Korean missile tests. It came 13 days after Pyongyang launched a short-range ballistic missile from the Wonsan area on September 20.

South Korea's presidential National Security Office held an emergency meeting following the latest launch. The office said the firing of a ballistic missile violated UN Security Council resolutions and called on North Korea to stop what it described as provocative actions.

The latest developments add to the security challenges facing Seoul as President Lee's administration seeks to reduce military tensions and restore dialogue with Pyongyang while maintaining South Korea's defence readiness. North Korea, meanwhile, has continued to reject Seoul's recent efforts at engagement and has maintained a heightened military posture.