SEOUL — North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from Wonsan into the East Sea on Thursday, according to South Korea's military. The launch follows leader Kim Jong Un’s recent test of a weapons system for the new Choe Hyon warship, a 5,000-ton destroyer that Pyongyang claims is armed with its most powerful weapons and is expected to be operational next year.

This is the North’s first missile test since March and comes amid rising tensions, with ongoing speculation about military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. South Korea suspects Russian involvement in the warship’s development, possibly in exchange for North Korean troops aiding in Ukraine.

Despite violating UN sanctions with its frequent tests, North Korea maintains it is an “irreversible” nuclear state. The missile launch drew no immediate impact on Japan but adds to the ongoing military standoff on the Korean Peninsula, where both Koreas remain technically at war.