THE North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast on Sunday, ahead of planned military exercises by South Korean and US forces involving an aircraft carrier and a visit to the region by the US vice president. American Kamala Harris .

the military of South Korea they said it was a single short-range ballistic missile fired near the Taechon area of ​​North Pyongyan province just before 7am.

The Japanese Defense Minister, Yasukazu Hamada , said Japan estimated it reached its maximum altitude at 50 km and may have flown on an irregular trajectory. Hamada said it is outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of problems with sea or air transport.

The release takes place after the arrival of the American aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan nuclear-powered, to South Korea to participate in joint exercises with South Korean forces and ahead of a planned visit to Seoul this week by Harris.

It was the first time the North had carried out such a launch after firing eight short-range ballistic missiles in one day in early June, prompting United States to call for more sanctions for violating the resolutions of the UN Security Council .

North Korea rejects UN resolutions as a violation of its sovereign right to self-defense and space exploration, and has criticized previous joint US and South Korean exercises as evidence of its hostile policies.

The exercises were also criticized by Russia and China, which urged all sides not to take steps that would increase tensions in the region and called for an easing of sanctions.

After North Korea carried out an unprecedented number of missile tests earlier this year, including its intercontinental ballistic missiles for the first time since 2017, the United States and South Korea said they would push for joint exercises and military demonstrations of power to stop Pyongyang.

“Defense exercises will not prevent North Korean missile tests,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international affairs at Ewha University in Seoul.

But US-South Korean security cooperation helps deter a North Korean attack and counter coercion by Pyongyang, and allies must not allow provocations to prevent them from carrying out the military training and exchanges necessary to maintain the alliance, he added.

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Saturday that North Korea may also be preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), citing the South’s military.