Ballistic Missile Fired By North Korea Ahead Of U.S. Vice President's Visit To Seoul

North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile into the ocean off its east coast, just days before military exercises involving an aircraft carrier and South Korean and U.S. forces were scheduled to take place there and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris would pay a visit.

Yoon Suk-Yeol, the president of South Korea, was briefed on the launch, according to the presidential office. Yoon Suk-Yeol landed in Seoul late on Saturday from a tour to Britain, the United States, and Canada.

According to the South Korean military, the short-range ballistic missile was launched just before 7 a.m. local time from a location close to the Taechon area of North Pyongyang Province. It traveled around 600 kilometers at Mach 5 and at an altitude of 60 kilometers.

"North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile is an act of grave provocation that threatens the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and international community," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Following the launch, US Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Seung-Kyum discussed the situation and emphasized their readiness to respond to any threat or provocation from North Korea, it added.

In recent years, North Korea has launched a number of short-range missiles, several of which have been built to maneuver during flight and fly on a lower, or "depressed" trajectory in order to escape missile defenses, according to experts.

The launch was denounced by South Korea's National Security Council as an unjustified act of provocation and an apparent violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions during an emergency meeting to explore response strategies.

According to Yasukazu Hamada, the defense minister of Japan, it may have flown on an erratic trajectory and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers. Hamada claimed that it was outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone and that there had been no reports of shipping or air traffic issues.

"If you include launches of cruise missiles this is the nineteenth launch, which is an unprecedented pace," Hamada said. "North Korea's action represents a threat to the peace and security of our country, the region, and the international community and to do this as the Ukraine invasion unfolds is unforgivable," he added.

In a statement issued following the launch, the US Indo-Pacific Command reiterated the US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan while confirming that it was aware of the launch and closely engaging with partners.

"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's unlawful Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programs."