[ad_1]
North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile off the east coast and into the sea, according to South Korean and US officials.
From South Korea Deputy Chiefs of Staff did not provide further details on the launch.
However, Japan previously said that Pyongyang may have fired a ballistic missile, and the coast guard has warned ships not to approach any fallen objects.
The Japanese defense ministry said: “It may have been a ballistic missile. It did not fall within Japanese territory and is not believed to have fallen within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.”
North Korea Ballistic missiles are prohibited by United Nations Security Council resolutions.
If confirmed, it could pose a challenge to US President Joe Biden, whose administration has yet to make meaningful engagement with the nation.
The launch came a day after US and South Korean officials said North Korea had fired short-range weapons, allegedly cruise missiles, into its western sea over the weekend.
Nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea have stalled since the collapse of Kim Jong Un’s second summit with former President Donald Trump in February 2019.
Then US officials rejected North Korea’s demands for major sanctions relief, in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.
Pyongyang has said it is refusing to hold talks with Biden unless Washington abandons “hostile” sanctions and pressure on its nuclear program.
Last week, Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong criticized the United States for organizing combined military exercises with South Korea.
In North Korea’s first comments to the Joe Biden administration, it described the drills as an invasion rehearsal and warned Washington to “refrain from causing a bad smell” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the next four years.
In the past, Pyongyang has often responded to drills between the United States and South Korea with missile tests.
