North Korea fires ballistic missile into sea, Japan and South Korea confirm launch

North Korea fired off an apparent ballistic missile on Sunday (Sep 20), Japan’s Defense Ministry said, with the weapon falling into the sea shortly after its launch. The South Korean military also confirmed the launch, saying it had taken place from the North’s eastern coast. The launch came eight days after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles towards the East Sea -- also called the Sea of Japan -- as part of what it later described as a joint firepower drill. It also followed Pyongyang's rejection this week of a resolution by the UN nuclear watchdog demanding that it halt its nuclear activities.

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"The North has fired an unidentified projectile into the East Sea," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The office of the Japanese prime minister also confirmed the launch, saying on X that the projectile was a "suspected ballistic missile". Japan's defence ministry later said the projectile had "already fallen", without giving further details. In a statement, the Prime Minister's office in Japan said that it should it will dedicate maximum effort to gather and analyze information, and provide the public with information in a timely and appropriate manner. It will ensure the safety of aircraft, vessels, and other assets and take all possible measures for precaution, including readiness for contingencies.

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The launch comes after South Korea concluded five days of joint maritime drills with the United States and Japan that were focused on North Korea. North Korea had slammed plans for the drills named ‘Freedom Edge exercises’ in international waters off South Korea as a "threat" to Pyongyang and other countries of the region. North Korea’s defense minister, Kim Song Gi had warned North Korea was capable of taking “strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power."

Last week, the US had released a statement on the North Korean missile launch and said that it was aware of the launches, but based on its current assessment, it declared that they did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, territory or allies. The statement came amid US President Donald Trump's makes another overture to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump also shortened annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises between South and US and called the drills "inappropriate and hostile" towards North Korea. Trump told reporters at the White House on August 19 he plans to meet the North Korean leader this year.