What did South Korea, the United States and Japan ask countries to do about ICBM and SLBM launches?

They called on all nations, especially nuclear-weapon states, to give at least 24 hours advance notice before launching ICBMs, SLBMs and SLVs. They said the goal was to reduce the risk of miscalculation and lessen disruption to neighboring countries.

Why did the joint statement mention advance notification of missile launches?

The countries said nuclear-capable missile tests without sufficient advance notice are dangerous and can disrupt peace in countries close to the tests. They also said regularized notification arrangements do not limit military development or operational needs.

How many countries were involved in the joint statement on missile-launch notifications?

South Korea, the United States, Japan and 38 other countries signed it, and the statement said 145 countries take part in the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. The countries also urged wider participation in advance-notification arrangements.

Korea, US, 39 other countries call for advance notice of ICBM, SLBM launches in joint statement

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Summary

South Korea, the United States, Japan and 38 other countries issued a joint statement Tuesday in Washington calling for at least 24 hours advance notice of ICBM, SLBM and SLV launches. The statement came after a surprise Chinese SLBM launch on July 6 drew criticism. The countries said such notices would reduce miscalculation, build confidence and protect nearby nations.

Key Facts

The statement said launch notifications should include the missile or SLV class, the planned notification window, the launch area and the planned direction.
The countries also called for clear notices for airmen and mariners, including expected impact and landing areas.
One hundred and forty-five countries participate in the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 12, 2026 7:46 am KST

This file photo, released by Xinhua News Agency, shows a formation of the JL-2 missiles taking part in a military parade during the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. Yonhap

WASHINGTON — South Korea, the United States, Japan and 38 other countries issued a joint statement Tuesday calling on countries to provide sufficient advance notification of launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and space launch vehicles (SLVs).

The statement came after China carried out a surprise launch of an SLBM into the open waters of the Pacific on July 6, drawing criticism from the U.S. and other countries. The countries did not mention China by name in the statement.

In the statement, the countries called on all nations, particularly nuclear-weapon states, to provide notification of ICBM, SLBM and SLV launches no less than 24 hours in advance, noting that nuclear-capable missile tests without sufficient advance notice are "dangerous" and disrupt the peace of nations close to these tests.

Notifications should include such information as the generic class of the ballistic missile or SLV, the planned launch notification window, the launch area and the planned direction, they said.

They said countries should also provide clear notices for airmen and mariners consistent with international standards to reduce risk, including expected impact and landing areas.

"Regularized, transparent notification arrangements do not constrain any nation's military development or operational needs," they said. "Instead, they reduce the risk of miscalculation, build confidence, and reflect a shared commitment to security."

In addition, the countries called on all relevant countries to participate in arrangements for providing advance notification of ICBM, SLBM and SLV launches to affected countries.

"One hundred and forty-five countries participate in one such mechanism, the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation," they said.

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