North Korea launches a short-range ballistic missile toward sea, South Korea says

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the waters off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea’s military said, the latest in a series of weapons tests by North Korea this year.

The military detected the launch from North Korea’s eastern coastal Wonsan area around 5 p.m. (0900 GMT), the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

It said South Korea’s military has bolstered its surveillance posture and is closely coordinating with the U.S. and Japan.

Japan’s Defense Ministry also said that North Korea fired a possible ballistic missile but there was no impact in or around Japan.

North Korea has been focusing on enlarging its nuclear and missile arsenals since leader Kim Jong Un’s high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. Experts say the North Korean leader wants international recognition as a nuclear state so that he can demand the lifting of international economic sanctions on North Korea.

Last month, Kim supervised tests of a nuclear-capable cruise missile and other weapons aboard a new 5,000-ton destroyer. After years of prioritizing ballistic missile development, Kim has increasingly turned his focus to naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine.

While outlining his five-year military goals at the Workers’ Party congress in February, Kim also called for intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches.

In recent years, Kim has also boosted his diplomatic credentials by expanding ties with Russia. North Korea has supplied conventional weapons and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.