North Korea launches ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan

TOKYO — North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan on Thursday, with the Japanese government assessing it was intercontinental ballistic missile-class and launched on a lofted trajectory.

The Japanese Defense Ministry said the missile was launched northeastward from North Korea at around 7:11 a.m. and fell at around 8:37 a.m. outside Japan's exclusive economic zone west of Hokkaido's Okushiri Island, making it the longest-ever flight time for a North Korean ballistic missile.

"North Korea's development of missiles and nuclear weapons threaten the peace and safety of our nation and the international community, so they are totally unacceptable," Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters, adding Japan will gather information by closely cooperating with the United States and South Korea.

The missile, logging 86 minutes of flight time, reached a record altitude of over 7,000 kilometers and traveled a distance of about 1,000 km.

The United States said it "strongly condemns" North Korea's ICBM test, calling it a "flagrant violation" of multiple U.N. resolutions.

While there was no immediate threat to the United States or its allies, the White House said in a statement that the launch "needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region."

It said the United States will take all necessary steps to ensure the security of its homeland, as well that of Japan and South Korea.

The South Korean military said North Korea had launched a long-range ballistic missile from the vicinity of Pyongyang at a lofted angle.

North Korea last launched a ballistic missile on Sept 18.

The missile firing came a day after South Korean lawmakers said North Korea may be preparing to launch an ICBM and conduct its seventh nuclear test, both in November, citing the Defense Ministry's intelligence.

Pyongyang was recently accused by Seoul and Washington of dispatching troops to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fueling fears that the North could obtain military and nuclear technologies from Moscow in return, as well as battle experience.

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