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North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast on January 4, 2026, marking its first launch of the year just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for Beijing for high-level talks with the Chinese leadership.

The launch triggered emergency meetings in Seoul and renewed regional concern over Pyongyang’s expanding missile program amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

South Korea’s defense ministry said it detected “several projectiles, presumed to be ballistic missiles,” launched from areas near Pyongyang at around 7:50 am. The missiles flew approximately 900 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan, according to the military, which said South Korea and the United States were “closely analyzing the specifications” while maintaining full readiness.

Japan’s defense ministry also confirmed it had detected a possible ballistic missile launch, saying two missiles reached an altitude of about 50 kilometers and flew distances of roughly 900 and 950 kilometers. Japan’s defense minister Shinjiro Koizumi described North Korea’s missile and nuclear development as “absolutely intolerable,” warning that it threatens regional and international peace and stability.

Emergency Response in Seoul

Following the launch, South Korea’s National Security Council convened an emergency meeting. A statement from the presidential office said the test “constitutes a provocative act in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

The launch was North Korea’s first ballistic missile test since November, when Pyongyang carried out a launch after U.S. President Donald Trump approved South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

South Korea and the United States have repeatedly condemned such tests as destabilizing, while Pyongyang maintains they are defensive measures.

Analysts linked the timing of the launch to a major U.S. military operation carried out on Saturday against Venezuela, a long-time North Korean ally. U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and removed him from the country, an operation that analysts say has deeply unsettled Pyongyang’s leadership.

For decades, North Korea has accused Washington of seeking regime change and has cited that threat as justification for its nuclear and missile program. Although the United States has repeatedly said it has no intention of overthrowing the North Korean government, the Venezuela operation appears to have reinforced Pyongyang’s long-standing fears.

Hypersonic Missile Test and Expansion of Missile Production

On January 4, North Korea also conducted a missile launch drill testing the readiness of the hypersonic weapon system and the country’s nuclear forces. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launching drill and said, “Through today’s launching drill, we can confirm that a very important technology task for national defence has been carried out.”

According to the KCNA, “The hypersonic missiles, launched from Ryokpho District, Pyongyang Municipality, to the northeast direction, hit the targets 1,000 km away from the East Sea of Korea.”

The launch comes as North Korea prepares for a landmark congress of its ruling party in the coming weeks, its first in five years. Defense and economic policies are expected to dominate the agenda.

Ahead of the meeting, North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered a major expansion of missile production.

North Korea’s state media reported on Sunday that Kim recently visited a facility producing tactical guided weapons, where he instructed officials to increase production capacity by 250 percent and modernize manufacturing lines. He also called for the construction of additional factories to meet what the regime describes as growing defense needs.

Analysts say the increased testing and production are aimed at improving precision strike capabilities, testing systems before potential export, and strengthening leverage against the United States and South Korea. Some also point to Russia as a possible future recipient of North Korean weapons technology.

Lee’s China Visit

The missile test coincided with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s departure for a four-day visit to China, his first since taking office, and the first visit by a South Korean leader to Beijing in six years. Lee is seeking to reset strained ties with Seoul’s largest trading partner while carefully managing security issues involving North Korea, the United States, and Taiwan.

Lee’s trip comes less than a week after China carried out large-scale military drills around Taiwan, involving missiles, fighter jets, naval vessels, and coastguard ships. The exercises drew international criticism, although Seoul notably refrained from joining public condemnations.

Accompanied by a large delegation of business and technology leaders, Lee is expected to meet President Xi Jinping on Monday, followed by talks with senior officials, including Premier Li Qiang, on Tuesday. His itinerary also includes a visit to Shanghai, where he will attend a startup summit and meet members of South Korea’s business community.

Balancing China and the United States

South Korea has long sought to balance its alliance with the United States, its main security guarantor, against its deep economic ties with China. Analysts say Beijing is now trying to exploit that balancing act.

Lee has avoided taking sides in recent regional disputes, including tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan. He has repeatedly declined to say whether South Korea would intervene in a conflict across the Taiwan Strait, arguing that taking sides would only worsen tensions.

In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Friday, Lee said he “clearly affirms” that “respecting the ‘one-China’ principle and maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia, including in the Taiwan Strait, are very important.”

Trade, Technology, and Cultural Ties

Economic issues are expected to feature prominently during the visit. Lee has called for more “horizontal and mutually beneficial” trade relations with China and is pushing for deeper cooperation in advanced industries, including artificial intelligence.

His delegation includes executives from Samsung, a major supplier of memory chips critical to the global AI industry, as well as Hyundai Motor Group’s executive chair, Chung Eui-sun. Representatives from South Korea’s entertainment and gaming sectors are also taking part.

Officials hope the talks will lead to China easing an unofficial ban on South Korean pop culture that has restricted performances and content distribution for nearly a decade. Presidential adviser Wi Sung-lac said Beijing officially denies the existence of such a ban, but acknowledged that “from our perspective the situation looks somewhat different.”

Beijing’s Conditions and Regional Strategy

Intelligence assessments cited by regional officials suggest China has laid out specific expectations ahead of the Xi-Lee summit. These reportedly include Seoul publicly reiterating its adherence to the “one-China” principle, limiting cooperation with U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific, and declining participation in certain missile deployments and expanded roles for U.S. forces in South Korea.

In return, China is expected to offer incentives, including easing restrictions on South Korean firms, lifting cultural barriers, increasing Chinese tourism, and facilitating dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

As North Korea continues to test missiles and expand its arsenal, and as major powers jockey for influence across the Indo-Pacific, Lee’s visit to Beijing underscores the increasingly complex strategic environment facing Seoul, one in which economic interests, alliance politics, and security threats are becoming ever more tightly intertwined.