North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea – also known as the Sea of Japan – on the same day U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Seoul for high-level talks, South Korean military officials said.
The missile, of an as-yet unidentified type, fell into the sea outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK. No damage to vessels or aircraft was reported.
The launch marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile test in two months and comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Washington and Seoul strengthening their security alliance in response to Pyongyang’s continued weapons development.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the launch in a statement, noting the incident was under close analysis to determine the missile’s specifications and trajectory.
The timing of the test appears to coincide with Blinken’s diplomatic visit to Seoul, underscoring North Korea’s rejection of U.S. overtures for dialogue and its opposition to joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea.
