North Korea: North Korea has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into its eastern waters, hours before South Korea’s president was about to fly to Japan for the first summit between the two countries in years.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that Pyongyang had launched what appeared to be a banned ICBM.

“The weapon flew towards the Korean Peninsula’s eastern waters after being launched from North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang. The ICBM launched at a steep angle and flew about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan,” the military noted in a statement.

Japanese Defence Minister Mr. Yasukazu Hamada stated that the missile probably landed in the waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone after about one hour in the air. The landing site is about 250 kilometres (155 miles) off the western island of Oshimaoshima, which is close to where other North Korean ICBMs have previously fallen.

The launch comes after North Korea’s series of missile launch events amid ongoing large-scale military drills between South Korea and the United States.

The latest launch comes hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are due to meet in Tokyo for the first bilateral summit in 12 years.

Both South Korea and Japan are ramping up defence spending and joint military exercises, which Mr. Yoon has stated are essential for regional and global stability.

The US remarked that it “strongly condemns” North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test. A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, Mr. Adrienne Watson, noted that such actions needlessly raise tensions in the region.

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