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North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile, Japanese authorities say
Japan warned vessels after the launch as officials said the object appeared to have already fallen, suggesting a short-range missile test.
North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile toward its east coast on Thursday, according to the Japanese defense ministry and South Korea's military.
The launch occurred hours after President Donald Trump announced plans to meet Kim Jong later this year, amid ongoing US-South Korean military drills set to end early Friday.
Its Coast Guard issued a warning to vessels at 5:08 p.m. KST regarding falling objects, then updated that the missile had "already fallen" within 11 minutes of the initial alert.
The missile appeared not to be a long-range weapon, given its brief 11-minute flight before falling, suggesting limited capability compared to longer-range systems.
Pyongyang has conducted multiple short-range missile tests this month, though state media has remained silent on recent activity, maintaining a pattern of non-disclosure regarding military operations.