North Korea launched a possible ballistic missile toward the sea on Wednesday, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. The suspected projectile landed in the water, the ministry reported.
This weapons test follows closely on the heels of another launch last week and comes just days after South Korea and the United States announced their annual large-scale military drills, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, which are set to begin next week. South Korea's military, as cited by Yonhap news agency, reported the launch of an unidentified projectile off North Korea’s east coast.
North Korea has historically reacted strongly to the joint South Korea-U.S. military drills, viewing them as a rehearsal for an invasion. The country has previously responded to such exercises with provocative weapons tests and sharp rhetoric.
Last week, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan detected a short-range ballistic missile launch from North Korea. This was the North’s first reported ballistic weapons testing activity since late June. North Korea has not yet confirmed the details of Wednesday's launch, a departure from its usual practice of releasing information about weapons tests a day after they occur.