North Korea fires ballistic missiles after the US capture of Maduro

North Korea launched several ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Sunday, January 4, marking its first weapons test of 2026 in what analysts describe as a calculated response to the stunning capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States hours earlier, according to Koreatimes.

The missiles, launched from near Pyongyang at approximately 7:50 a.m. local time, traveled about 900 kilometers before landing in the sea, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Japanese Ministry of Defense confirmed at least two launches, including one missile that traveled about 950 kilometers. The launch occurred just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was scheduled to depart for Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the denuclearization of North Korea was expected to be on the agenda.

This action by Pyongyang appeared directly linked to the earlier US military operation that extracted Maduro and his wife from their fortified compound in Caracas early Saturday morning. North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation on Sunday, calling the operation "the most serious form of infringement on sovereignty" and "another example that clearly confirms once again the rogue and brutal nature of the United States."

Sugrnoma