New ballistic missile launch from North Korea

North Korea launched ballistic missile short-range missile early Sunday into the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, the South Korean military said.

The missile, which was launched from Dongchang-ri on the west coast at around 11:05 a.m. (04:05 Greek time), traveled a distance of about 800 km before hitting a target, according to the South Korean announcement.

South Korea has condemned the series of recent ballistic missile launches by the North Korea as a “clear violation” of a UN Security Council resolution. The launches also drew criticism from Japan and the US.

“North Korea’s behavior threatens international peace and security and is unacceptable”Japanese Deputy Defense Minister Toshiro Ino told a news conference, adding that Japan had strongly protested through the North Korean embassy in Beijing.

In a statement, the US Indo-Pacific Command said today’s missile launch does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or its allies. But the recent launches underscore the destabilizing impact of North Korea’s illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, the source added.

On Thursday North Korea had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan, hours before South Korea’s president traveled to Tokyo for a summitduring which ways to deal with North Korea were discussed.

Pyongyang had announced on Thursday, via the state-run KCNA news agency, that the launch of its intercontinental ballistic missile was a warning against the ongoing joint US-South Korean military trainings.

South Korean and US forces began early last week 11-day joint military exercises called Freedom Shield 23, which have been held on a scale not seen since 2017 to counter growing threats from North Korea. .