North Korea fires a missile into the sea amid US-South Korea exercises

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea fired a suspected missile toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbors said, as the north ramped up testing activities in response to US-South Korean military exercises it views as an invasion rehearsal.

Japan’s Defense Ministry and Coast Guard said what appeared to be a North Korean missile was fired Sunday morning. They did not give any further details.

South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency quoted the South Korean military as saying North Korea had fired a ballistic missile at its eastern waters.

Calls to the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff were not immediately answered Sunday.

If the launch is confirmed, it would mark the North’s third round of weapons tests since the US and South Korean militaries began their joint military exercises last week.

The North views the exercises as an exercise to launch an invasion, although the United States and South Korea have steadfastly stated that their training is defensive in nature. Recent exercises between the US and South Korea, which include computer simulations and field exercises, are scheduled to continue through Thursday.

Recently tested North Korean weapons include the longest-range Hwasong-17 ICBM designed to hit the US mainland. Northern state media quoted leader Kim Jong Un as saying the ICBM launch was meant to “instill fear in the enemy.”

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This version corrects that the launch, if confirmed, would be the third round of weapons tests (not the fourth) since the start of joint exercises between the US and South Korea last week.