North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea on September 20, 2026, according to South Korean and Japanese military reports.

What it means

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its eastern coast on September 20, 2026, according to South Korean and Japanese military reports. The launches came days after Pyongyang rejected US overtures and amid ongoing tensions over joint military drills by the US, South Korea, and Japan. This is a familiar pattern of missile tests used by North Korea to signal displeasure and test capabilities.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is solid, based on official statements from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Japan's Ministry of Defense, reported by multiple major news outlets including AP, Reuters, and Yonhap. The Washington Times article is a secondary aggregation but accurately reflects the primary military reports.

How new

Genuinely new as of September 20, 2026; the launches occurred on that date.

Go deeper

• Yonhap News — first to publish