South Korean military claims that North Korea fired a ballistic missile off the east coast.

 

South Korean and Japanese officials reported that a ballistic missile was fired by North Korea on Sunday into the waters off its east coast.

 

The Joint Chief of Staff of South Korea stated that the launch took place on Sunday morning but provided no further information. The launch was also verified by the office of the prime minister of Japan.

 

The Defense Ministry reportedly told Japan’s Coast Guard that a suspected North Korean missile had landed in the waters between that country and the Korean Peninsula, though the Coast Guard did not specify how far away from the Japanese coast it was.

 

Unnamed government officials told Japan’s NHK national television that the missile landed outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

 

Three days prior to the launch on Sunday, North Korea claimed to have conducted a test of a ‘high-thrust solid-fuel motor’ for a new strategic weapon. This development could enable North Korea to have access to a more mobile and difficult-to-detect arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach the US mainland.

 

A variety of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles have been tested by North Korea in recent months, including the Hwasong-17 ICBM, which was launched last month and is the country’s longest-range, liquid-fueled, multiple-warhead ICBM under development.