Seoul says North Korea fired ballistic missile towards East Sea

Seoul: North Korea on Wednesday fired an unspecified ballistic missile towards the East Sea, Yonhap news agency reported citing the South Korean military.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that it detected the ballistic missile launch. It did not give further details regarding the launch, the report said.

Pyongyang fired the ballistic missile amid tensions caused by North Korea's accusations against US Spy aircraft operations earlier this week. Previously, North Korea launched the ballistic missile on Jun 15, Yonhap news agency reported. North Korea has accused the United States of illegally flying over the economic zone eight times and warned of counter-action, state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday.

Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, in a press statement, said, "In case of repeated illegal intrusion, the US forces will experience a very critical flight."She also claimed that South Korea had again impudently taken the lead in denying the encroachment on North Korea's sovereignty and still the nation assert that it was a "normal flight of the 'ROK' and the US."

"The strategic reconnaissance plane of the US Air Force illegally intruded into the economic water zone of the DPRK side in the East Sea of Korea eight times in the sky above the sea of 435 km east of Thongchon of Kangwon Province~276 km southeast of Uljin of North Kyongsang Province from 5:15 to 13:10 on July 10, to commit an aerial espionage act," Kim Yo Jong said.

The Pentagon earlier brushed aside Pyongyang's accusations of airspace violations and said the US military had adhered to international law, reported KCNA.

"The United States, as always, remains committed to safely and responsibly flying, sailing, and operating anywhere that international law allows and alongside our allies and partners," Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary said in a media briefing.
"I just don't have anything more to say on those comments or those threats coming out of North Korea. We operate responsibly and safely in international waterways and -- and airspaces wherever -- wherever we can," she added.