N. Korea Launches Ballistic Missile into Sea of Japan

Seoul/Tokyo, Nov. 7 (Jiji Press)–North Korea launched a ballistic missile from around Taegwan in the northwestern region toward the Sea of Japan around 12:35 p.m. Friday, according to the South Korean military. The projectile, believed to be a short-range missile, appears to have fallen into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, a Japanese Defense Ministry source said. The missile reached a maximum altitude of about 50 kilometers and traveled a distance of more than 450 km, the ministry said. The South Korean military said the missile flew about 700 km. No related damage to ships or aircraft has been reported. “North Korea launched a ballistic missile,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a parliamentary committee meeting in Tokyo, adding that her country will work with the United States and South Korea to gather information. Japan lodged a stern protest with North Korea through embassy channels in Beijing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a news conference. “There is a possibility that North Korea will conduct further provocations, such as missile and satellite launches and nuclear tests,” Kihara said. “North Korea’s nuclear and missile development threatens the peace and security of our country and the international community and is absolutely unacceptable,” he stressed. Pyongyang apparently launched the missile to express its dissatisfaction after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, held talks Tuesday under the Security Consultative Meeting framework to reaffirm their stance toward North Korea. The latest launch is also believed to be pushback after the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington called at a South Korean port. It was the first North Korean ballistic missile launch since Oct. 22. Before that, the country had refrained from launches since the June inauguration of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Regarding the previous launch, Pyongyang claims to have tested an important new hypersonic weapon system. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]