North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) just hours before the leaders of South Korea and Japan were due to meet for historic talks.
Japanese and South Korean officials confirmed the launch of a long-range missile on Thursday morning.
It flew about 1,000 km (620 mi) and landed in waters west of Japan.
It is Pyongyang’s fourth missile test in a week and comes as the US and South Korea conduct joint naval exercises.
The other missiles launched – last Thursday, Saturday and Monday – were short-range ballistic missiles.
North Korea’s accelerated missile activity is likely to be high on the agenda when South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol meets Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo later on Thursday – his first visit in 12 years.
Since Monday, the U.S. and South Korea have been conducting exercises around the Korean Peninsula, the largest military buildup by the allies in five years. North Korea has repeatedly said it views such drills as provocations.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the missile was fired from Pyongyang off North Korea’s east coast at 07:10 (22:10 GMT).
Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed it as an ICBM type and said it flew more than 6,000 kilometers for about 70 minutes. It landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone at around 08:20, the ministry said.
Japanese officials have not reported any casualties from the missile.
After Thursday’s launch, Mr Yun ordered his country’s military to continue joint US exercises as planned.
He said Pyongyang would pay the price for its “reckless provocations”.
North Korea last fired an ICBM less than a month ago – an action that sparked an emergency UN meeting and condemnation from the G7 nations.
ICBMs are particularly troublesome because of their long range. Experts have said that such missiles fired from North Korea could possibly reach the US mainland.
Pyongyang is believed to have developed ICBMs that can carry multiple warheads.
North Korea’s escalation of aggression over the past year is one of the main topics to be discussed at the Tokyo summit on Thursday.
Many hope the meeting – hailed as a “milestone” between South Korea and Japan – will lead to closer security ties and increased military cooperation between the two countries.
Both countries said they would convene a meeting of their national security councils after Thursday’s missile test.
In 2022, North Korea launched more than 90 missiles — the most it has ever fired in a year — despite being subject to a raft of sanctions from the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and its neighbors. There are missiles.
North Korea has become more aggressive in its nuclear strategy under Kim Jong Un, who has overseen much of the recent development of its weapons program, and has so far conducted four of six nuclear tests.
