North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off the Korean peninsula's east coast on Wednesday. This marks the country's second weapons test in less than a week.
The missile was launched from the eastern coastal Wonsan area around 6 a.m. and flew more than 700 kilometers over the body of water known as the East Sea or the Sea of Japan. The Defense Ministry in Tokyo stated that the missile likely fell just outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The launch comes as South Korea and the United States prepare to conduct annual joint military drills next week to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities. Pyongyang has long denounced these exercises, which it views as a rehearsal for an invasion.
South Korea condemned the test and warned that it remains ready to repel any provocation in cooperation with the US. Officials from Seoul and Washington are currently analyzing the specifications of the missile.