North Korea fires ballistic missile ahead of US-South Korea drills

On August 12, 2026, North Korea fired a ballistic missile, its second in a week, just ahead of upcoming US-South Korea military exercises. The launch came one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines about potential threats. The missile test is seen as a protest against the joint drills, which Pyongyang has long condemned as provocative. No further details about the missile's trajectory or impact were provided in the headlines.