North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea from the Wonsan area today (September 20).

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the first missile, launched around 3 p.m., flew about 450 kilometers, and the missile launched around 5:50 p.m. flew more than 600 kilometers.

North Korea's ballistic missile launch came eight days after its previous launch on September 8, and is interpreted as a show of force following recent protests by Kim Yo-jong, director of the General Affairs Department of the Workers' Party of Korea, against the US-led multinational exercise 'Pacific Vanguard.'