North Korea fires several ballistic missiles toward the East Sea

• 

  North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea on October 12, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

• 

  The missiles flew more than 900 kilometres, while South Korean and US authorities analysed their exact specifications.

• 

  Japan’s coast guard said an object believed to be a North Korean ballistic missile appeared to have already fallen.

• 

  South Korea’s military said the launch may have been intended to show off North Korea’s military capabilities and respond to a South Korean hypersonic weapon test.

• 

  The launch came four days after South Korea disclosed its first test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle.

Who

North Korea.

What

It fired several objects identified by South Korea as ballistic missiles toward the East Sea.

When

October 12, at about 9:20 a.m., according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Where

From the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea.

Why

South Korea’s military said its initial assessment was that the launch was a show of force and an effort to display progress in North Korea’s defence development plan.

This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.