NEW DELHI:
North Korea
launched an unidentified ballistic
missile
towards the East Sea, also referred to as the Sea of
Japan
, according to
South Korea
's military on Thursday, reported AFP.
According to the Japanese coast guard, the projectile has plunged into the sea.
This launch follows a recent unsuccessful attempt by Pyongyang to deploy a spy satellite.
The joint chiefs of staff of South
Korea
did not disclose additional information in their statement. Japan's coastguard and prime minister's office reported that North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile and were in the process of gathering further details.
On Monday, North Korea acknowledged that its most recent effort to place a spy satellite into orbit had resulted in a mid-air explosion, following criticism from Seoul and Tokyo regarding the planned launch. NHK, a Japanese broadcaster, aired footage of what seemed to be a flaming projectile in the night sky over northeast China at the time of the attempted launch, which then burst into a fireball.
Deploying a reconnaissance satellite into orbit has been a top priority for Kim Jong Un's regime for a long time. In November, North Korea claimed to have achieved this goal after two unsuccessful attempts the previous year.
The Korean Peninsula has witnessed a surge in tensions over the past few months, fueled by a tit-for-tat escalation of military activities. North Korea has accelerated its weapons testing program, while South Korea has responded by intensifying its joint military exercises with the United States and Japan.
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