"North Korea fired an unidentified missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang this morning," the JCS said . The missile reached an altitude of 770 km and covered a distance of 3,700 km before falling into the ocean, according to South Korea's military.The South Korean and US militaries are analyzing details of the launch, Reuters reports.NHK Television urged residents in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions to take shelter as the projectile passed over Japanese airspace near Hokkaido at around 7.06am local time.Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary told reporters the missile was likely "the same as before," referring to the August 29 launch over Japan. Yoshihide Suga condemned Pyongyang's missile test "in the strongest words," saying the missile passed over Hokkaido and fell into the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,000 kilometers east of Arimori Cape.The Japanese government did not try to destroy the missile, according to reports. There's been no news of damage to aircraft and sailing vessels, or falling objects onto Japanese territory.Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, however, issued instructions to prepare for unforeseen circumstances by communicating prompt and accurate information to citizens.The North Korean launch comes shortly after South Korea staged a ballistic missile training drill in the Sea of Japan. The South Korean president has been notified and has immediately convened a National Security Council meeting.Just prior to the launch, Pyongyang warned that it was time to "annihilate" the US, to "sink" Japan and to "wipe out" South Korea following the adoption of a new UN Security Council sanctions resolution this week, in response to the regime's recent nuclear test.The 15-member United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously approved a new round of sanctions Monday, targeting North Korea's textile exports and its oil imports.On August 29, North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Northern Japan. The Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile is believed to have flown about 1,700 miles (2,735km) and reached a height of 341 miles (548km) before falling into the Pacific Ocean.After a number of last minute compromises, China and Russia supported the latest round of sanctions against Pyongyang Monday. While strongly condemning North Korea's actions, Moscow and Beijing continue to insist on the implementation of the so-called "double-freeze" proposal, which calls for Pyongyang to suspend its nuclear and ballistic missile tests in exchange for a halt to joint US-South Korea military drills.Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are rapidly mounting with North Korea defiantly continuing its missile and nuclear tests and the US, South Korean and Japanese militaries regularly holding drills in the region, accompanied by strong rhetoric by Washington. Pyongyang says the boosting of its missile and nuclear program is justified as its only means of defense should these military maneuvers escalate into a direct confrontation. </s> North Korea has fired a projectile into the Sea of Japan, which is also known as the East Sea, according to a South Korean Defense Ministry official.

The object was fired from the Tongchang-ri, in the country’s North Pyongan province, early Monday local time, the official said.

South Korea and the United States are currently holding their annual military exercises, known as Foal Eagle.

North Korea has already denounced this year’s exercises through state media service KCNA.

“Now that the US imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces again kicked off the dangerous nuclear war drills against the DPRK at its doorstep, our army will counter them with the toughest counteractions,” it said.

The exercises usually draw condemnation and retribution from Pyongyang.

During last year’s drills, North Korea fired multiple short to medium range missiles and announced it could place nuclear warheads on its weapons.

The firing also comes a day after Seoul quadrupled the award for North Korean defectors and nearly a month after North Korea test-fired a new type of missile, the Pukguksong-2, a medium-long range ballistic missile.

That missile was also fired from North Pyongan province and traveled 500 kilometers (310 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan.

The launch happened while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in the United States visiting US President Donald Trump. </s> SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — South Korea’s military said North Korea fired an unidentified missile Friday from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean.

It was the second aggressive test-flight over the territory of the close U.S. ally in less than a month and it followed the sixth and most powerful nuclear test by North Korea to date on Sept. 3.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile travelled about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) while reaching a maximum height of 770 kilometres (478 miles).

The missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang’s international airport.

North Korea last month used the airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over northern Japan.

The North then declared it a “meaningful prelude” to containing the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and the start of more ballistic missile launches toward the Pacific Ocean.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga denounced North Korea’s latest launch, saying he was conveying “strong anger” on behalf of the Japanese people.

Suga said Japan “will not tolerate the repeated and excessive provocations.”

The North American Aerospace Defence Command determined the intermediate range missile did not pose a threat to North America. In addition, U.S. Pacific Command said it did not pose a threat to Guam.

South Korean experts said the August launch was Pyongyang’s attempt to make missiles flying over Japan an accepted norm as it seeks to test new missiles and win more military space in the region dominated by its enemies.

The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defence said the latest launch posed no immediate threat to Guam or the Marianas.

South Korea’s Defence Ministry said the country’s military conducted a live-fire drill of a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile in response to the North’s launch on Friday.

Seoul’s presidential office said President Moon Jae-in has scheduled a National Security Council meeting to discuss the latest launch.

North Korea claimed its latest nuclear test was a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The North flight-tested its Hwasong-14 ICBMs twice in July and analysts say the missiles potentially could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

North Korea initially flight-tested the Hwasong-12 and Hwasong-14 missiles at highly lofted angles to reduce range and avoid neighbouring countries.

The two launches over Japan indicate North Korea is moving toward conducting launches at angles close to operational as it seeks to test whether the warheads survive the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entry and detonate properly.

North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear weapons development under leader Kim Jong Un, a third-generation dictator in his 30s, who has conducted four of North Korea’s six nuclear tests since taking power in 2011.

His military has maintained a torrid pace in testing weapons, which also include solid-fuel missiles designed to be launched from road mobile launchers or submarines.

In his aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons, Kim is seen as seeking a real nuclear deterrent to help ensure the survival of his government and also the stronger bargaining power that would come from it.

North Korea’s latest missile launch came days after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions over the nuclear test. The latest sanctions are not as tough as what the U.S. had sought, they are expected to have a significant impact.

AP writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report from Tokyo. </s> The missile flew east about 500 km (over 300 miles), South Korean officials said.

"Our military is closely monitoring North Korea and is maintaining readiness posture," the statement said.

It seems to have fallen into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, but not within Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a press briefing.

Authorities have not received any reports of damage on ships or planes, Suga said.

A White House official said the projectile was a medium-range ballistic missile, a system that North Korea tested in February. The missile tested in February was a Pukguksong-2, a medium long-range ballistic missile, officials said. It was the first test by Pyongyang since President Donald Trump was inaugurated. At the time, the missile was described as a "Korean style new type strategic weapon system" by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, KCNA. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the launch and said it was "obviously" violating the UN resolution and the "repeated provocative acts by North Korea are totally unacceptable." It's the second from North Korea since South Korean President Moon Jae-in took office last week. Moon has advocated dialogue with North Korea to denuclearize. Sunday's missile launch comes a week after what analysts called North Korea's most successful ballistic missile test yet. That missile -- a Hwasong-12 was launched May 14 -- flew for about 30 minutes and landed in water 60 miles south of Russia's Vladivostok region, the home of the Russian Pacific Fleet. North Korea has attempted at least 10 missile launches on seven occasions since Trump took office in January. </s> TOKYO — North Korea fired a ballistic missile Friday night which landed in the ocean off Japan, Japanese officials said.

“I have received information that North Korea once again conducted a missile firing,” he said. “We will immediately analyze information and do our utmost to protect the safety of the Japanese people.”

There was no immediate announcement of the type of missile. On July 4, North Korea test-launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said the missile launched Friday flew for about 45 minutes and landed off the Japanese coast in waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK said the coast guard issued safety warnings to aircraft and ships.

South Korea and the United States also confirmed the launch.

“We are assessing and will have more information soon,” said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from North Korea’s northern Jagang province.

Analysts say the “Hwasong 14” ICBM launched by North Korea on July 4 could be capable of reaching most of Alaska or possibly Hawaii if fired in an attacking trajectory. It was launched at a very steep angle, a technique called lofting, and reached a height of more than 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean 930 kilometres (580 miles) away. </s> MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier on Monday media reported, that Pyongyang announced the successful launch of the intermediate-range ballistic missile.

“This type of missile should be rapidly mass-produced in a serial way,” Kim said as quoted by Yonhap news agency.

The North Korean leader supervised the launch of Pukguksong-2 missile and expressed satisfaction with its accuracy in hitting targets, according to the outlet citing the North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The ground-to-ground missile launched on Sunday reportedly flew some 500 kilometers (310 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan short of reaching Japan’s exclusive economic zone. </s> "This type of missile should be rapidly mass-produced in a serial way," Kim said as quoted by Yonhap news agency.

The North Korean leader supervised the launch of Pukguksong-2 missile and expressed satisfaction with its accuracy in hitting targets, according to the outlet citing the North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The ground-to-ground missile launched on Sunday reportedly flew some 500 kilometers (310 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan short of reaching Japan’s exclusive economic zone. </s> Japan warned on Saturday that the new North Korean projectiles have trajectories that are not typical for conventional ballistic missiles which makes it difficult to intercept them.

The new North Korean projectiles had irregular trajectories and flew at lower altitudes than conventional ballistic missiles which makes it difficult to intercept them, the Japanese Defense Ministry said, as quoted by the NHK broadcaster.

With that, the defense officials acknowledged that this type of projectiles could reach Japan as, based on findings of the US and South Korean military, the ones launched on Thursday flew about 600 km (373 miles), the report added.

According to the broadcaster, Japan is determined to work out appropriate countermeasures in close collaboration with the United States.

On Thursday, North Korea fired two projectiles from an area close to its coastal city of Wonsan. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff subsequently said that the launches were of two short-range missiles that flew around 267 miles at an altitude of 31 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan.

On Friday, North Korea’s state-run media reported that the launches were tests of a new tactical guided weapon and were observed by leader Kim Jong-un.

The reports come less than a month after Kim and US President Donald Trump met in the Korean demilitarized zone and agreed to restart denuclearization talks.

Source: Sputnik </s> North Korea: Donald Trump tweets on missile launch, suggests China could 'end this nonsense'

Updated

North Korea has launched another ballistic missile in the direction of Japan, prompting US President Donald Trump to declare it is "hard to believe South Korea and Japan will put up with this much longer".

Key points: The missile flew about 930 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan

The launch was criticised by the US, Japan and South Korea

Leaders will discuss North Korea at this week's G20 summit

The intermediate-range ballistic missile "greatly exceeded" an altitude of 2,500 kilometres, Japan's Defence Ministry said, and flew about 930 kilometres for around 40 minutes before landing in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone.

The launch added to a string of recent test-firings as the North works to build a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US.

On Twitter Mr Trump, presumably referring to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, questioned whether "this guy [has] anything better to do with his life".

Mr Trump went on to suggest China could "perhaps" take action against North Korea "and end this nonsense once and for all!"

The missile was launched about 10:40am (AEST) from an airfield in Panghyon, about 100 kilometres north-west of the North's capital, Pyongyang, the South Korean military said.

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said the military was analysing the missile, and examining the possibility it may have been an intercontinental ballistic missile-class (ICBM) rocket.

Mr Moon told a national security council meeting at the presidential Blue House that he was deeply disappointed North Korea had launched the missile only days after he and Mr Trump called for restraint.

It was the fourth ballistic missile launched by the North since Mr Moon took office in May, vowing to use dialogue as well as pressure to bring Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes under control.

The US military's Pacific Command said the projectile was a single, land-based intermediate range ballistic missile, and was tracked for 37 minutes before it landed in the Sea of Japan.

"The North American Aerospace Defence Command assessed that the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America," it said in a statement.

Japan's Abe to call for 'solidarity' on North Korea

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea was ignoring repeated warnings from the international community, and flagged that he will ask the presidents of China and Russia to play more constructive roles in efforts to stop its arms programme.

The launch came ahead of a summit of leaders from the Group of 20 countries in Germany later this week.

The leaders of the US, China, Japan and South Korea are expected to discuss efforts to rein in the North's nuclear and missile tests at the talks on July 7 to 8.

"Leaders of the world will gather at the G20 meeting. I would like to strongly call for solidarity of the international community on the North Korean issue," Mr Abe told reporters.

The missile launch also comes ahead of July 4 Independence Day celebrations in the United States.

North Korea has previously fired missiles around the US holiday.

The launch would be the latest in a series by North Korea since the start of the year and comes just one day after Mr Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the issue.

Reuters/AP

Topics: world-politics, unrest-conflict-and-war, korea-democratic-peoples-republic-of

First posted
South Korea reports North Korea fired a Pukguksong-2 intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew 500 km before landing in the Sea of Japan.