North Korea Tests Missiles, Attack Drones on Island in Sea of Japan

North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones at an island in the Sea of Japan on Sept. 13, 2026, as part of a fire power attack drill. Korean Central News Agency photo North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones at an island in the Sea of Japan on Sunday as part of a “firepower attack drill,” state media reported.

Subunits from five artillery and missile joint units participated in the drill, which involved new combat systems such as attack drones of various kinds, a tactical cruise missile, a large-caliber thermal-pressure multiple rocket launcher and a tactical ballistic missile, Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday. The drill occurred one day after the U.S., South Korea and Japan concluded multi-domain trilateral exercise Freedom Edge in the Western Pacific near South Korea.

Marshal Pak Jong-chon, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and Major General Yu Chang-son, Director of the Artillery Bureau of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army, guided the drills, according to KCNA.

The firing drill was a priority of the Korean People’s Army for familiarization with the Integrated Fire Command System, along with enhancing expertise in integrated automated fire command and increasing the efficiency of destroying targets through concentrated fire, KCNA reported.

A collage released by the Korean Central News Agency shows attack drones of various kinds, a tactical cruise missile, a large-caliber thermal-pressure multiple rocket launcher and a tactical ballistic missile were used in the drill on Sept. 13, 2026. Korean Central News Agency collage According to state media, all systems involved struck their targets with 100 percent accuracy in a single stroke, demonstrating concentrated, massive destructive power. Photographs released by KCNA show mobile ground short-range ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers launching various missiles, as well as two types of one-way attack drones being launched against an island in the Sea of Japan off North Korea’s coastline.

KCNA did not disclose the location of the firing drill. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on Saturday that the South Korean military detected SRBMs launched from the vicinity of Wonsan, North Korea, toward the Sea of Japan. The missiles were launched beginning around 5:20 a.m. The North Korean SRBMs flew approximately 250 kilometers – or 155 miles – according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

South Korea and the U.S. are currently conducting an analysis on the firings, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

“Under a firm ROK-U.S. combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring various North Korean movements and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation,” the JCS said.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command issued the following statement: “We are aware of the recent missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. Based on current assessments, these events do not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region.”

Saturday’s firing marked the 13th time this year that North Korea has fired ballistic missiles.The drills followed the U.S., South Korea and Japan multi-domain trilateral exercise Freedom Edge 26, which ran Sept. 7 to Friday.

North Korea Minister of National Defense Kim Song Gi condemned the trilateral drills, describing it as a provocative military exercise held under the pretext of countering the so-called nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

“I sound a note of warning against the reckless military moves of the U.S. and its satellite countries to create a serious military confrontation and possibility of conflict on the Korean peninsula, and solemnly warn of the consequences to be entailed by them,” Kim said in the Sept. 7 statement.

The five-day exercise brought together maritime, air, medical and cyber forces from all three nations for integrated training designed to improve coordination, sharpen interoperability and strengthen trilateral defensive readiness, reads an INDOPACOM news release. The exercise took place across international waters and airspace south and east of South Korea, as well as at military installations and command posts in Japan.

A U.S. Airforce Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft participates in an air refueling exercise with fighter aircraft from Republic of Korea Air Force and Japan Air Self Defense Force in international airspace, Sept. 10, 2026, in support of Freedom Edge 26. Republic of Korea Air Force photo Freedom Edge 26 saw participating forces training across a series of events that tested how quickly and effectively the three nations could communicate and operate together. Ships operated in formation and practiced replenishment-at-sea while maritime and aviation crews rehearsed conducting multilateral medical evacuation and search and rescue operations. Air crews flew in multinational formations, while command-and-control teams synchronized actions across multiple domains.

Teams also expanded trilateral air defense communication and refined real-time data-sharing procedures during the exercise while cyber planners and command post personnel worked through coordination drills that helped connect information flows between the three countries and support faster decision-making across the battlespace, according to the news release.

U.S. Navy Seaman Angelaada Igoche stands watch on the starboard bridge wing aboard while Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) steams alongside Sejong the Great-class guided-missile destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG 992) during a maritime maneuvering exercise with Republic of Korea Navy and Japan Maritime Defense Force in the Western Pacific Ocean, Sept. 10, 2026, in support of Freedom Edge 26. US Navy photo The release did not identify the forces that participated in the drills, but imagery shows destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) operated with ROKN destroyers ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG-992) and ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong (DDG-993) and fast combat support ship ROKS Cheonji (AOE-57) and JMSDF destroyers JS Asahi (DD-119) and JS Atago (DDG-177).

Prior to the drills, Japan’s Joint Staff Office said that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force were slated to participate with F-15 and F-2 fighter aircraft, E-767 and E-2D Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and KC-46A and KC-767 tanker aircraft.

Pentagon imagery shows a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker tanker aircraft operating with Republic of Korea Air Force F-15K and F-16 fighters and the JASDF F-2s and F-15s as part of the exercise.