North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile off its east coast Thursday, according to South Korea’s military.
Japan’s defense ministry had not immediately announced the launch, suggesting the missile was likely shorter range.
The launch comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following a series of weapons tests by Pyongyang in recent months. North Korea has accelerated its missile testing program since early 2022, citing what it calls hostile policies from the United States and its allies.
The launch follows North Korea’s firing of multiple ballistic missiles toward the Yellow Sea on March 10, which came hours after Pyongyang condemned joint South Korean-U.S. military exercises. Those March launches marked North Korea’s first reported ballistic missile tests since President Donald Trump took office in January.
U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles, which, depending on their design, can carry nuclear warheads.
Diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea have stalled since 2019, when negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington collapsed after a failed summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
