North Korea has fired another ballistic missile off its east coast into the Sea of Japan, according to South Korean and Japanese officials, marking the latest in a series of weapons tests by Pyongyang in recent weeks.
One ballistic missile was launched about 10:17 a.m. local time from the vicinity of Sinpo, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding it is presumed as a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). The location is where North Korea keeps submarines as well as equipment for test firing SLBMs. North Korea has also launched other types of missiles from the area.
"Our military is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States, to prepare for possible additional launches," the South Korean JCS said in a statement.
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said initial analysis suggested two ballistic missiles were fired. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida commented that it was "regrettable" that North Korea had conducted a string of missile tests in recent weeks.
Both South Korea's JCS and Japan's Coast Guard didn't immediately disclose any details of where the missile may have landed or how far it flew.
The North Korean regime has so far rejected U.S. efforts to restart talks aimed at dismantling Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, which are banned by U.N. Security Council resolutions. It says that Washington must first drop its "hostile policy," a term it uses to denote U.S. sanctions and U.S.-South Korea military exercises.