North Korea fires ballistic missile into sea, South Korea says

North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea on Saturday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The missile was launched from the Wonsan area of North Korea towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, according to the South Korean military. The launch came during a period of increased tension between the two Koreas.

Three South Korean soldiers were injured by landmine explosions last month, and South Korea and the US-led United Nations Command have said North Korean mines caused the blasts. South Korea has demanded an apology and called on Pyongyang to stop fortifying the border. The measures include the use of mines and anti-tank barriers in the Demilitarised Zone, the heavily fortified area separating the countries.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed Seoul’s demands as “utterly pathetic”. She also said North Korea intended to sever ties with South Korea. The missile launch followed several weeks of military activity by North Korea.

The country has tested what it described as a hypersonic missile system, conducted live-fire exercises and commissioned a new warship. Kim Jong Un has continued to promote North Korea’s nuclear programme despite calls from the United States to revive diplomatic engagement. The South Korean military did not provide details in the supplied material about the missile’s flight distance, altitude or landing location.

It also did not report whether the launch caused damage. The test is likely to intensify concerns over security on the Korean peninsula, where disputes over border activity and weapons development have remained unresolved. No response from North Korea was provided regarding the latest launch beyond Kim Yo Jong’s earlier remarks about the border demands.