North Korea fired a mid-range ballistic missile on Tuesday which flew over Japan into pacific, reports AFP.
It was the first North Korean missile to fly over or past Japan since 2017, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned what he called a “barbaric” act.
Tokyo also confirmed the launch of a suspected ballistic missile by Pyongyang, activating the country's missile alert warning system and issuing evacuation warnings.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, meanwhile, warned of a resolute response following the launch, according to a statement from the presidential office.
South Korea's military said it had "detected one suspected medium-range ballistic missile that was launched from Mupyong-ri area of Jagang Province at around 7:23 am (22:23 GMT) today and passed over Japan in the eastern direction."
With talks long-stalled, nuclear-armed North Korea has doubled down on Kim's military modernization plans this year, testing a string of banned weaponry, including an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) for the first time since 2017.
Last week, Pyongyang fired short-range ballistic missiles on four occasions, including just hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris flew out of Seoul.
The latest bout of intense weapons testing by Pyongyang comes as Seoul, Tokyo and Washington ramp up joint military drills to counter growing threats from the North.
South Korea, Japan and the United States staged anti-submarine drills Friday which were the first in five years, just days after Washington and Seoul's navies conducted large-scale exercises in waters off the peninsula.
Such drills might infuriated North Korea, which sees them as rehearsals for an invasion, think the political analysts.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
