North Korea fires suspected missile into sea

North Korea fired at least one suspected ballistic missile toward the sea on Thursday, its neighbours’ militaries said.

The country has apparently extended its barrage of weapons tests that may culminate with a flight of its largest intercontinental ballistic missile.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately say whether the weapon involved in the launch was ballistic or how far it flew.

Japan’s Prime Minster’s Office Defence Ministry said the North fired a possible ballistic missile.

It was North Korea’s 12th round of weapons launches this year and came after it fired suspected artillery pieces into the sea on Sunday.

Experts say the North’s unusually fast pace in testing activity underscore its dual goal of advancing its weaponry and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations.

The North conducted two medium-range tests from near its capital area in recent weeks that the US and South Korean militaries later assessed as involving components of the North’s largest ICBM, the Hwasong-17, which they said could be tested at full range soon.