North Korea Launches Suspected Ballistic Missile

North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile toward the sea on Thursday, according to Japanese and South Korean authorities. South Korea’s military said it had detected an unidentified projectile fired toward waters east of the Korean Peninsula.

The Japanese Coast Guard said the projectile was believed to be a ballistic missile and had already landed. Public broadcaster NHK reported that it appeared to have fallen into the sea outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. No damage or casualties were immediately reported.

The launch came during the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises between the United States and South Korea. The drills, originally scheduled to run until 27 August, will now end on Friday after US President Donald Trump ordered them to be significantly scaled back. Some field exercises have also been reduced, canceled or converted into simulations.

Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, criticized the decision on Wednesday, saying the reduction did not change the “provocative and aggressive” nature of the exercises or signal any fundamental shift in US policy toward Pyongyang.

(Reuters, Lud)