North Korea launches suspected ballistic missile

North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile toward the sea on Wednesday, marking its second missile test in less than a week. The South Korean military reported that an unidentified projectile was fired off the country’s east coast.

Japan’s Defense Ministry stated the suspected weapon landed in the water, though it could not confirm if the missile fell within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. This launch follows recent rhetoric from Kim Yo Jong, who stated that Pyongyang would not remain a “passive onlooker” to Japan’s increasing military capabilities.

The provocation comes ahead of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military drills, scheduled to begin next week between South Korea and the United States. North Korea has historically viewed these large-scale exercises as rehearsals for an invasion and has responded to them with provocative weapons testing and aggressive rhetoric.