North Korea launches 'unidentified missile'

North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Monday, South Korean media reported, citing the Seoul military.

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“North Korea fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the East Sea,” also known as the Sea of ​​Japan, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, without providing further details about the launch.

The alleged ballistic missile launch is the second of its kind by Pyongyang in 2024, following on January 14, a hypersonic warhead-equipped engine.

Seoul and Washington completed their annual large-scale “Freedom Shield” exercises a few days ago, which include missile interceptions and airstrikes. The number of participating soldiers has doubled compared to 2023.

Pyongyang warned that the US and South Korea would pay a “high price” for maneuvers, Mr. Before announcing that Kim had overseen a large-scale artillery exercise, it said, border units would “place the enemy's capital within their territory.”

Since the beginning of the year, Pyongyang has designated Seoul as its “main enemy,” shutting down agencies dedicated to reunification and inter-Korean dialogue and threatening to go to war if “its borders are crossed, even by just 0.001 millimeters.”