North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US-South Korea hold military drills

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Erin HaleMarch 14, 2026 at 09:17 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

On March 14, 2026, North Korea fired approximately 10 ballistic missiles off its west coast into the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The missiles reached an altitude of 80 kilometers and flew about 340 kilometers before landing outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. The launches, confirmed by both South Korean and Japanese defense forces, occurred as the United States and South Korea conduct their annual "Freedom Shield" military exercises, which North Korea protested earlier in the week. This marks North Korea's third ballistic missile launch this year. South Korean, Japanese, and US forces are maintaining heightened surveillance for additional launches.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tehran 30% Israel 30% Iran ×230% Ministry of Defence 40% Freedom Shield 40% East Sea (Sea of Japan) 50% Joint Chiefs of Staff ×260% Japan ×360% Pyongyang ×270% South Korea ×580% United States ×380% North Korea ×490%

Keywords

ballistic missiles 100% north korea 90% military drills 80% us-south korea 70% missile launch 60% korean peninsula 50% freedom shield exercises 50% east sea 40%