World

North Korea fires ballistic missile, South Korea says

By AAP Newswire

Apr 2, 2024

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch — North Korea fired a ballistic missile off the east coast, South Korea says (file photo). -AP

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile off the east coast, South Korea's military says.

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Japan's coast guard said the apparent missile had already fallen into the sea.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately confirm how far the missile flew.

It was the North's first known launch event since March 18, when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a live-fire drill of artillery systems designed to target South Korea's capital Seoul.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen since 2022 as Kim used Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate his testing of missiles and other weapons.

Amid concerns Russia and North Korea are developing closer military links, the United States and its major Asian allies South Korea and Japan are expanding security co-operation.

The United States government is arranging a summit between President Joe Biden and his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in July on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Washington, Japanese media outlets reported.

Agencies