{O/C}
North Korea is believed to have fired an apparent ballistic missile into the sea.
{RVO}
This, according to the South Korean and Japanese militaries.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement today that Pyongyang fired a suspected ballistic missile towards its eastern waters this morning. And South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are trying to analyse more information pertaining to the launch.
This latest launch signals exasperation as Pyongyang appears reluctant to rejoin denuclearisation talks, at least for now.
It is believed that Pyongyang would rather zero in on boosting its weapons arsenal, as evidenced by leader Kim Jong-un at a high-profile ruling party conference last week.
A spate of weapons tests was performed in the latter part of last year in what experts termed an attempt to pressure its rivals to consider it a nuclear power state in order for economic sanctions to be lifted.
Washington has always insisted on resuming nuclear diplomacy with North Korea anytime, overtures which Pyongyang has thus far rebuffed.
Comments