South Korea has accused North Korea of firing a suspected ballistic missile towards the North’s east coast.
South Korea‘s joint chief of staffs said the launch was made on Wednesday morning, but did not give any further details.
Japan’s defence ministry also said North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile.
The missile reportedly landed outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone – an area of sea that a country claims the rights over to conduct economic activities – and no damage was reported, Japan’s Kyodo news agency said.
Earlier this week, North Korea criticised the deployment of US aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, to take part in joint military drills with the South and Japan.
The Theodore Roosevelt anchored in Busan. Pic: Reuters
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It warned of an “overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence” as a result.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol boarded the US aircraft carrier – the first sitting president to do so since 1994 – and claimed the countries alliance is the world’s greatest, and can defeat any enemy.
The missile launch came hours after South Korea said the North floated flying balloons – believed to be carrying rubbish – across the border for a second day in a row.
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Pyongyang has also deployed a large squad of soldiers to build new fortifications within the heavily armed border between the two countries, according to the South’s military.
Occasional warning shots have been fired from South Korean counterparts.