SEOUL –
North Korea has fired at least one ballistic missile on Friday, which flew
about 800 kilometres before hitting the sea off its east coast, South Korea’s
military said, as the isolated state stepped up its defiance of tough new
United Nations and United States sanctions.

South
Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the missile was likely a medium-range
Rodong-missile. If confirmed, it would mark North Korea’s first test of a
medium range missile, capable of reaching Japan, since 2014.

The
launch comes amid heightened tension on the Korean peninsula after the North
rejected UN Security Council sanctions imposed earlier in the month in response
to a nuclear test conducted in January and the United States issued fresh
sanctions this week.

In a
statement, South’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was
launched from north of the capital, Pyongyang, flying across the peninsula and
into the sea off the east coast early Friday morning.

It
appeared the North may have fired a second missile soon after from the same
region, with a projectile disappearing from radar at an altitude of about 17
km, it added.

South
Korea did not confirm the type of the missiles. But 800 km was likely beyond
the range of most short-range missiles in the North’s arsenal. The North’s
Rodong missile has an estimated maximum range of 1,300 km, according to the
South’s defence ministry.

The US
State Department said in a statement it was closely monitoring the situation
and urged North Korea to focus on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its
international commitments and obligations.

JAPAN CONCERNED

Japan
quickly condemned the launch, lodging a protest with North Korea through its
embassy in Beijing, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament.

“Japan
strongly demands North Korea to exercise self-restraint and will take all
necessary measures, such as warning and surveillance activity, to be able to
respond to any situations,” Mr Abe said.

Last
week, the North fired two short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast
and its leader Kim Jong-Un ordered more nuclear weapons tests and missile tests
to improve attack capability.

North
Korea often fires missiles at periods of tension on the Korean peninsula or
when it comes under pressure to curb its defiance and abandon its weapons
programmes.

New US
sanctions on Pyongyang were issued on Wednesday aiming to expand its blockade
by blacklisting individuals and entities that deal with the North’s economy.

The North
has also reacted angrily to annual joint military drills by US and South Korean
troops that began on March 7, calling the exercises “nuclear war
moves” and threatening to wipe out its enemies.

– Reuters