South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea fired around 10 artillery rockets toward the northern waters of the Yellow Sea on Tuesday, appearing to be part of its regular winter military drills. The launches, detected around 3 p.m., were presumed to originate from a 240mm multiple rocket launcher capable of targeting Seoul and surrounding areas. South Korean forces are closely monitoring North Korea's activities under a firm South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, ready to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation.
On December 10, 2025, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced that North Korea launched around 10 artillery rockets toward the northern waters of the Yellow Sea at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday. The projectiles were presumed to have been fired from a 240mm multiple rocket launcher system, which can target Seoul and adjacent areas. The JCS stated, "The military detected around 10 artillery rockets launched toward the northern waters of the Yellow Sea at around 3 p.m. Tuesday," and noted that a detailed analysis is underway.
A military official indicated that the artillery launch seems to be part of North Korea's regular wintertime exercises, which typically begin in December. The JCS emphasized, "Our military is closely monitoring North Korea's various movements under a firm South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and maintains capabilities and posture that can overwhelmingly respond to any provocation."
Last month, Pyongyang conducted similar firings shortly before a joint visit by the defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. It also launched rocket shells during a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the southeastern city of Gyeongju on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering. This pattern suggests North Korea's military activities may coincide with key international events. South Korean forces continue to vigilantly track developments.
