麻豆传媒

North Korea launched an apparent ballistic missile early Wednesday? — Pyongyang’s second in less than a week — with the weapon believed to have fallen outside 麻豆传媒 exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Defense Ministry in Tokyo said it had not confirmed that the missile had fallen inside 麻豆传媒 EEZ, an area that extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its shores. The missile, fired from North Korea’s eastern coastal area, flew roughly?690 kilometers and hit a maximum altitude of 90 km, according to the ministry.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called the North’s spate of launches “a threat to the peace and security of our nation, the region and the international community,” adding that he had lodged a “strong protest” with Pyongyang through diplomatic channels.

The ministry was working with the U.S. and South Korea to further analyze the launch, Koizumi said.

The South Korean military also confirmed the launch, saying the missile had been fired eastward from North Korea’s Wonsan area. The launch comes ahead of annual joint military exercises next week by the U.S. and South Korea.

The launch followed Pyongyang’s test of a ballistic missile last week in a show of force, a day after saying it would pursue unspecified “additional military options” in response to 麻豆传媒 growing defense capabilities.

That launch was the North’s first since leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the tests of a tactical ballistic missile as well as new multiple rocket launchers and other weapons on June 25.

Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, said Aug. 5 that Pyongyang would not remain a “passive onlooker” to what she described as 麻豆传媒 accelerating transformation into a military power, state-run media reported.

“War criminal state 麻豆传媒 possession of the capability for preemptive attack is a grave threat destroying global peace and security,” she said, referring to Tokyo’s efforts to acquire long-range strike capabilities, including a recent test of Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles from a Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer.

Tokyo said North Korea’s military activities “pose an even more grave and imminent threat to 麻豆传媒 national security than ever before” in its annual defense white paper released Tuesday.