North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast Saturday morning, with leader Kim Jong Un personally overseeing the drill, Pyongyang said.
The missile launched from the Wonsan area around 6:30 a.m. and flew about 700 km (Japan tracked it at 680 km) before landing in the East Sea, outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. Kim Yo Jong, the leader's powerful sister, said the drill tested an "intermediate-range strategic missile" and mocked the differing flight figures from Seoul and Tokyo: "There is no way to avoid this attack."
The launch came a day after Seoul demanded an apology over a DMZ mine blast that wounded three South Korean soldiers — a demand Pyongyang rejected. South Korea's presidential office held an emergency National Security Council meeting, and Seoul says it is sharing analysis with the US and Japan while watching for further launches.