North Korea fires ballistic missile into East Sea

A news report on North Korea firing a ballistic missile in April. [YONHAP]

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea Wednesday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The missile was fired at around 10 a.m. from Pyongyang, JCS said.

President Yoon Suk Yeol held an emergency meeting in Lithuania where he is attending the NATO summit as an observer.

The launch came a day after North Korea escalated its warning against the United States for sending spy jets into its air space, which the U.S. and the South Korean military denied.

The U.S. and the South Korean militaries said that the flights were routine and were in accordance with international law.

This is the first time in 27 days that North Korea launched a ballistic missile.

The rhetoric from North Korea came at a time when President Yoon is attending the NATO summit.

Yoon and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg agreed on upgrading the partnership between South Korea and the North Atlantic alliance in areas including disarmament and nonproliferation.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]