North Korea launches missile from submarine: South Korea

North Korea tested what appeared to be a submarine launched ballistic missile in the Sea of Japan, the South Korean defence ministry said, according to a report by AFP.

"North Korea launched a projectile which was believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) around 6:30 pm (0930 GMT) in the East Sea (Sea of Japan)" near the northeastern port of Sinpo", a defence ministry spokesman said. "We are keeping close tabs on the North Korean military and maintaining a full defence posture", he said. It was not immediately known whether the launch was a success, he added. North Korea has been pushing to acquire SLBM capability that would take its nuclear strike threat to a new level, allowing deployment far beyond the Korean peninsula and the potential to retaliate in the event of a nuclear attack. It has conducted a number of what it says were successful SLBM tests, but experts question the claim, suggesting Pyongyang had gone little further than a "pop-up" test from a submerged platform."We closely monitor North Korean activities and the situation on the Korean peninsula, especially North Korean military activities," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said adding "Launches using ballistic missile technology are a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. We call on North Korea to refrain from actions that further destabilize the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations."