North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile, only hours after the US deployed B-1B bombers for allied air drills.
The Japanese defense ministry and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff both confirmed the launch on Wednesday but provided no other details.
The launch comes as South Korea and the US prepare to conclude 11 days of joint military exercises, which Pyongyang has condemned.
Earlier on Wednesday, the B-1B bombers participated in separate air drills with South Korean and Japanese airplanes.
North Korea’s state media reported earlier this week that leader Kim Jong-un ordered the military to remain constantly ready for warfare in order to block any invasion preparations by its adversaries.
North Korea’s ballistic missiles are prohibited under UN Security Council resolutions that impose harsh penalties on the nuclear-armed state.
