Japan and South Korea announced that North Korea launched a ballistic missile in the direction of the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Japan’s Defense Ministry said the missile fell on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula after traveling more than 200 kilometers.
According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the ballistic missile was launched from near Pyongyang at around 05:30 local time.
Seoul-based Yonhap news agency, citing a military source, speculated that North Korea “may have tested a hypersonic missile”.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said the missile landed on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula after traveling more than 200 kilometers.
Japanese government protested
The missile fell outside the Japanese national exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Tokyo-based Kyodo agency reported.
US, Japanese and South Korean officials spoke on the phone and condemned North Korea’s missile test, the report said.
The Japanese government sent a note of protest to Pyongyang, saying the test “violated United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions”.
The aircraft carrier’s visit is a “firm commitment to security”
The missile test took place after the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the United States, visited South Korea.
The aircraft carrier, which arrived at Busan Port, 320 kilometers southeast of the capital Seoul, is expected to participate in trilateral military exercises with South Korea and Japan.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said yesterday that the visit to the aircraft carrier “symbolizes the US’ firm security commitment” to his country.
The North Korean administration had described the aircraft carrier visit as a “provocative act” and warned that it would take new and deterrent measures.
