North Korea launched what seemed to be a ballistic missile on Monday, according to Japan's coast guard, marking the fourth test this month as the country pushes ahead with fresh military breakthroughs despite delayed talks with the U.S. and South Korea.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea did not immediately confirm whether the projectile was ballistic or how far it traveled.
Japan's Prime Minister's Office stated that it detected a suspected North Korean ballistic missile launch but did not immediately disclose any data.
Since the start of the year, North Korea has conducted a succession of launches, most recently announcing last week the test of a hypersonic weapon watched by leader Kim Jong Un.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has directed his ministry to obtain as much information as possible regarding the launch and to protect the safety of vessels and planes.
The Japanese coast guard warned vessels transiting through the country's waterways to be cautious of falling items, although there were no immediate reports of damage. Later in the day, the coast guard disclosed that the North Korean projectile was suspected to have landed, but did not identify where.
Two of those included a single "hypersonic missile" capable of high speeds and maneuverability after launch, while the third, on Friday, involved a pair of short-range ballistic missiles launched from train cars.
The United Nations prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests, and denuclearisation negotiations have been stuck since 2019, when a summit between Kim and former U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over North Korean demands for sanctions relief.
The country's foreign ministry blasted the U.S. on Friday for slapping further sanctions in response to the tests, accusing it of taking a "confrontational stance." Additionally, the U.S. is pressing the UN to adopt tougher action against North Korea in response to its recent round of missile tests.
According to some analysts, Kim Jong Un is reverting to a time-tested strategy of pushing the U.S. and regional neighbors with missile launches and absurd threats before conducting conversations aimed at extracting concessions.
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration imposed its first new sanctions on Pyongyang on Wednesday and requested that the UN Security Council blacklist certain North Korean persons and companies.
It also reiterated calls for the North to resume negotiations aimed at de-escalating tensions and convincing the hermit state to hand over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile arsenal.
