(URGENT) N. Korea's ballistic missile flew about 450 kilometers: JCS

North Korea launched a ballistic missile from its east coast into the East Sea on Sunday, according to the South Korean military. This comes after Pyongyang reaffirmed its status as a nuclear-armed state. The missile was fired eight days after a series of short-range ballistic missile launches towards the East Sea. Furthermore, North Korea rejected a UN nuclear watchdog resolution demanding it suspend its nuclear activities.

The South Korean military detected the missile launch from the Wonsan area around 3pm (0600 GMT) and has escalated surveillance for potential additional launches. South Korea, the United States, and Japan are sharing information on the missile incident. Japan's defense ministry confirmed the launch, noting that the projectile had already fallen.

Following the launch, South Korea's presidential National Security Office held an emergency security meeting to evaluate the situation and assess its impact on national security. The government called for Pyongyang to "immediately cease" its missile launches, deeming the action a "grave act" that violated UN Security Council resolutions.

North Korea maintains its nuclear-armed status, legally asserting that its atomic arsenal is permanent and irreversible. The country's leader's sister, Kim Yo Jong, recently stated that North Korea's nuclear arsenal is "absolute" and dismissed efforts at denuclearization as "idiocy".