N. Korea fires suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile toward East Sea

North Korea fired an apparent intermediate-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Monday, South Korea's military said, marking the recalcitrant regime's first missile launch this year.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch of the projectile, suspected to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile, at about 12 p.m. from the Pyongyang area without offering further details, News.az reports, citing Yonhap.

"In preparation against additional launches, our military has strengthened our monitoring and vigilance while closely sharing information on the North Korean missile with the U.S. and Japanese sides and maintaining a full readiness posture," the JCS said.

The launch took place as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Seoul for talks with his South Korean counterpart on efforts to deter North Korean threats amid political turmoil in the South stemming from President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed imposition of martial law last month.

The latest saber-rattling also came two weeks before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

The North last fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Nov. 5, just ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

In a year-end party meeting, North Korea declared it would carry out the "toughest" counteraction strategy toward the United States, claiming military cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan has expanded into a "military bloc for aggression."

News.Az