(3rd LD) N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missile toward East Sea: military

North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile towards the East Sea on Thursday, according to South Korea's military. The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported the missile was fired from the eastern coastal Wonsan area in the North at approximately 5 p.m., though specifics about the missile's type remained undisclosed. In response, the military heightened its monitoring and surveillance efforts against possible further launches, while maintaining a high state of readiness and sharing information with the United States and Japan.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is currently examining the specifications of the missile in collaboration with U.S. authorities, who have jointly detected and reported North Korea's recent activities from the launch's outset. This latest launch occurs a month after North Korea conducted a test of a tactical ballistic missile, along with new multiple rocket launchers and other weapons, under the supervision of President Kim Jong-un.

The weapons tests coincided with the 76th anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War, suggesting an intention to showcase its capability to strike significant targets in the South. Thursday's launch occurred just before South Korea's annual summertime joint military exercise with the U.S., Ulchi Freedom Shield, scheduled for later in the month.

The presidential national security office quickly convened an emergency meeting with officials from the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ensure a vigilant response and evaluate the potential impact on South Korea's national security. The office classified the missile launch as a provocation that contravenes United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged its immediate cessation.