North Korea launched one short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Sunday, South Korea's military reported, several days after Pyongyang vowed to take "appropriate measures" in response to the continuation of U.S.-led military exercises in the region. Yonhap reports, writes UNN.
Details
South Korea's military said the launch was detected at approximately 3:00 p.m. local time on Sunday from the Wonsan area. The missile traveled about 450 km. An analysis is currently underway to determine the projectile's exact characteristics and other details.
The JCS said that South Korean and U.S. intelligence services had tracked the launch and exchanged relevant data from the very beginning, and had also shared information about the missile launch with Japan.
"We are closely monitoring North Korea's various activities and maintaining the capability and readiness to deliver a decisive response to any provocations within the framework of a strong joint South Korea-U.S. defense posture," the committee said.
South Korea's National Security Office (NSO) convened an emergency security meeting involving the Ministry of National Defense and the JCS to discuss the latest missile launch.
"We assessed our response posture, analyzed and evaluated the impact of the latest missile launch on our national security, and discussed appropriate measures," the office said in a statement.
The NSO called on Pyongyang to immediately cease such military activities, reminding it that ballistic missile launches violate UN Security Council resolutions banning the development of nuclear weapons and missiles.