North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday morning, South Korea and Japan said. The launch was Pyongyang’s second in less than a week. File Photo by EPA-EFE/KCNA
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (UPI) — North Korea fired a projectile into the sea early Tuesday morning, the militaries of South Korea and Japan said, less than a week after the secretive state launched what it claimed was a hypersonic weapon.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a message to reporters that North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile from an inland location at 7:27 a.m. into the sea between Korea and Japan.
“South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are in the process of conducting a detailed analysis for additional information,” the JCS said.
Japan’s defense ministry also reported the launch. The projectile landed in waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Kyodo News reported, citing government sources.
The launch follows on the heels of a test last week of what Pyongyang said was a hypersonic missile. South Korea’s defense ministry called the hypersonic claim “exaggerated” in a background briefing with local media, however, saying it appeared to be a conventional ballistic missile.
The United States and five other countries issued a joint statement on Monday condemning last week’s launch ahead of a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
“The DPRK’s continued pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs is a threat to international peace and security,” the statement, which was delivered by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
“This launch is the latest in a series of ballistic missile launches and shows the DPRK’s determination to expand its unlawful weapons capabilities,” the statement said. “These actions increase the risk of miscalculation and escalation and pose a significant threat to regional stability.”
Albania, France, Ireland, Japan and Britain co-signed the letter.
North Korea is prohibited from engaging in any ballistic missile activities under U.N. Security Council resolutions, but that hasn’t deterred the regime of leader Kim Jong Un from developing an increasingly dangerous arsenal, according to a report issued last month by the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
At a recent address marking the new year, Kim emphasized the need to continue building up the country’s defense capabilities “without a moment’s delay.”
The flurry of missile tests comes as South Koran President Moon Jae-in continues to push for renewed diplomacy and an end-of-war declaration with the North. Both sides are technically still at war, as the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a cease-fire but not a peace treaty.
Washington has also said that it is willing to come back to the negotiating table with Pyongyang without preconditions, but talks have been stalled for almost three years since a Feb. 2019 summit ended without an agreement.