North Korean launched an unspecified ballistic missile toward the Sea ofJapan early Thursday, the South Korean military has confirmed.
Data collected by the Japanese Defense Ministry has indicated that the missile remained airborne for roughly 70 minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 3,728 miles before falling outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.
South Korean military stated that the launch of a single ballistic missile was out of Pyongyang's Sunan area, at about 7:10 a.m. local time. Officials have described the projectile as an intercontinental ballistic missile, of which Pyongyang last tapped for a test-fire in mid-February.
The test-firing marks the sixth such launch since the start of the year and comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are expected to hold a summit in Tokyo.
Following North Korea's Tuesday launch of two medium-range, ground-to-ground ballistic missile, Pyongyang detailed that missile tests were intended as a show of force against enemy targets amid the Foal Eagle joint drills between the US and South Korea.
North Korea has repeatedly stated that military drills in the region are an act of aggression against Pyongyang and its leadership.