North Korea fired an "unidentified projectile" towards the Sea of Japan, off its east coast, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Tuesday citing the country's military.
It later confirmed that the launch was that of a ballistic missile.
According to Yonhap, the South Korean and US military authorities were closely analyzing the height and range of the projectile. A response center was also reportedly established under the Japanese prime minister's office.
The Japanese authorities issued a warning about a possible ballistic missile launch, telling fishing vessels in the area about the risk of falling debris.
Bloomberg reported, citing the Japanese Coast Guard, that the missile appears to have landed.
What appears to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) flies in an undisclosed location in this undated picture released by North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA) on October 2, 2019
© REUTERS / KCNA
The South Korean administration, Cheongwadae, reportedly announced that a National Security Council meeting will be held later in the day in response to North Korea's projectile launch.
North Korea said earlier this month that it had successfully test-fired a new generation anti-aircraft missile. The missile launches were denounced at a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which Pyongyang described as an infringement on its sovereignty.
The country has conducted at least seven missile tests in 2021. According to previous reports, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two ballistic missiles at the Sea of Japan on September 15. The missiles traveled around 800 kilometers at a height of 60 kilometers or more. Long-range cruise missiles were also tested on September 11-12, reportedly flying 1,500 kilometers.