SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥 North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbors said, ramping up testing activities in response to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.
The North鈥檚 continuing missile tests showed its determination not to back down despite the U.S.-South Korea exercises, the biggest of their kind in years. But many experts say the missile tests are also part of North Korea's bigger objective to expand its weapons arsenal, win global recognition as a nuclear state and get international sanctions lifted.
The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency open meeting Monday morning at the request of the United States, United Kingdon, Albania, Ecuador, France and Malta in response to North Korea's previous ICBM launch March 16.
The missile launched Sunday from the North鈥檚 northwestern Tongchangri area flew across the country before landing in waters off its east coast, according to South Korean and Japanese assessments. They said the missile traveled about 800 kilometers (500 miles), a range suggesting the weapon could target South Korea.
The chief nuclear envoys from South Korea, Japan and the U.S. discussed the launch by phone and strongly condemned it as a provocation and threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. They agreed to strengthen coordination and issue a firm international response, according to Seoul鈥檚 Foreign Ministry.
The launch was the North鈥檚 third round of weapons tests since the U.S. and South Korean militaries began joint military drills last Monday. The drills, which include computer simulations and field exercises, are to continue until Thursday.
South Korea鈥檚 military said it will continue joint drills with the U.S. and maintain a readiness to 鈥渙verwhelmingly鈥 respond to any provocation. As part of the drills, the U.S. on Sunday flew long-range B-1B bombers for joint training with South Korean warplanes, according to South Korea鈥檚 Defense Ministry.
North Korea is highly sensitive to the deployment of B-1Bs, which can carry a huge conventional weapons payload. It responded to the February flights of B-1Bs by test-launching missiles that demonstrated potential ranges to strike some air bases in South Korea.
Japanese Vice Defense Minister Toshiro Ino said the most recent missile landed outside Japan鈥檚 exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of damage to vessels or aircraft. He said the missile likely had an irregular trajectory, a possible reference to North Korea鈥檚 highly maneuverable, nuclear-capable KN-23 missile.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the latest launch doesn鈥檛 pose any immediate threat to the U.S. territory or its allies. But it said the North's recent launches highlight 鈥渢he destabilizing impact of its unlawful鈥 weapons programs and that the U.S. security commitment to South Korea and Japan remains 鈥渋ronclad.鈥
include its longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the U.S. mainland. The North鈥檚 state media quoted leader Kim Jong Un as saying that launch was meant to 鈥渟trike fear into the enemies.鈥
Thursday鈥檚 launch, the North鈥檚 first ICBM firing in a month, drew strong protests from Seoul, Tokyo and Washington. It came hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol flew to Tokyo for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
agreed to resume their defense dialogue and further strengthen security cooperation with the U.S. to counter North Korea and address other challenges.
Ties between Seoul and Tokyo suffered a major setback in recent years over issues stemming from Japan鈥檚 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
But North Korea鈥檚 record run of missile tests last year 鈥 it launched more than 70 missiles in 2022 alone 鈥 pushed Seoul and Tokyo to seek stronger trilateral security partnerships involving Washington, which also wants to reinforce its alliances in Asia to better deal with China鈥檚 rise and North Korean nuclear threats.
North Korea has missiles that place Japan within striking distance. Last October, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over northern Japan, forcing communities there to issue evacuation alerts and halt trains.
After Sunday鈥檚 launch, Kishida ordered a prompt response, including working closely with South Korea and the U.S., according to Ino, the Japanese vice defense minister.
A day before the start of the drills, The North鈥檚 state media said the submarine-launched missile showed the country's resolve to respond with 鈥渙verwhelming powerful鈥 force to the intensifying military maneuvers by 鈥渢he U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces.鈥
According to South Korean media reports, the U.S. and South Korea plan more training involving a U.S. aircraft carrier later this month after their current exercises end.
The U.N. Security Council held an informal meeting Friday where the U.S., its allies and human rights experts shone a spotlight on the dire rights situation and increasing repression in North Korea. China and Russia denounced the meeting as a politicized move likely to further escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea's U.N. Mission issued a statement Sunday calling the meeting about 鈥渙ur non-existent `human rights issue'" unlawful. It denounced the United States for waging a pressure campaign against human rights in the country as 鈥渁 flagrant violation鈥 of its dignity and sovereignty and accused Washington of being 鈥渢he world's worst human rights violator.鈥
The North's U.N. Mission said the U.S. held Friday's meeting 鈥渨hile staging the aggressive joint military exercise which poses a grave threat to our national security."
__
Associated Press writers Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
