North Korea fires 2nd ballistic missile in less than week

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, marking the second such launch in less than a week, according to South Korea’s military.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected a missile launched from the Wonsan area on the east coast, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The missile traveled over 700 kilometers (435 miles), the JCS added.

South Korea, Japan and the US are conducting a detailed analysis on its specifications, according to the JCS.

No damage or injuries have been reported.

The latest missile launch came as the US and South Korea geared up for their regular Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise later this month

The range the JCS provided suggests the launch likely involved a short-range missile, which typically flies 300 to 1,000 kilometers (186 to 621 miles), the report said.

Japan and South Korea condemned the launch.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters that Japan had lodged a strong protest with Pyongyang.

"North Korea's ballistic missile launches violate UN Security Council resolutions, and its actions pose a threat to the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community," Koizumi was quoted by Kyodo News Agency as saying.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed relevant government agencies to make "every effort to gather and analyze information, provide the public with accurate updates and ensure the safety of aircraft and vessels."

South Korea's National Security Office (NSO) expressed concerns over continued missile launches since last week and urged Pyongyang to stop such provocations, which are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

The NSO convened an emergency meeting with defense and military officials shortly after Wednesday's launch to assess the launch and its impact on security, and directed necessary measures, officials said.

The launch came six days after the North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Thursday.