Japan strongly protests, says missile may have landed in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
North Korea test-launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Tuesday, South Korean and U.S. officials said, days before leaders from the Group of 20 nations are due to discuss steps to rein in Pyongyang's weapons programmes.
The missile flew 930 kilometres (580 miles) before landing in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the South Korean military and Japanese government said. Tokyo strongly protested what it called a clear violation of UN resolutions.
The US Pacific Command said it detected and tracked the "single launch of a land-based, intermediate range ballistic missile" for 37 minutes near an airfield in Panghyon, about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of the North's capital, Pyongyang.
North Korea said it will make a major announcement on Tuesday at 3:30 pm local time (0630 GMT), South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who convened a national security council meeting, said the missile was believed to be an intermediate range type, but the military was also looking at the possibility it was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
North Korea has been working to develop a nuclear-tipped ICBM capable of hitting the United States, ignoring repeated warnings from the international community.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday he will ask the presidents of China and Russia to play more constructive roles in efforts to stop the Pyongyang's arms programme.
"Leaders of the world will gather at the G20 meeting. I would like to strongly call for solidarity of the international community on the North Korean issue," Abe told reporters.
Japan said on Monday the United States, South Korea and Japan will have a trilateral summit on North Korea at the G20. China's leader Xi Jinping will also be at the July 7-8 meeting in Hamburg, Germany.
North Korea has conducted four missile tests since South Korean President Moon Jae-in took office in May, vowing to use dialogue as well as pressure to bring Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes under control.
US President Donald Trump, responding to the latest launch, wrote on Twitter: "North Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life?" an apparent reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"Hard to believe South Korea and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!", Trump said in a series of tweets.
White House officials said Trump has been briefed on the latest launch, which took place hours before Independence Day celebrations in the United States. North Korea has previously fired missiles around this holiday.
Pyongyang has conducted missile-related activities at an unprecedented pace since the start of last year. Analysts say it is years away from having a nuclear-tipped ICBM.
But Pyongyang is also trying to develop intermediate-range missiles capable of hitting U.S. bases in the Pacific. The last North Korean launches before Tuesday were of land-to-sea cruise missiles on June 8.
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