Fury over new North Korea missile test ahead of war games

North Korea has provoked further anger after a testlaunched ballistic missile landed in the Sea of Japan.

The launch is seen as a direct challenge to the new South Korean president, and comes as US, Japanese and European navies gather for joint war games in the Pacific. Japan called the move “absolutely unacceptable”.

It was not clear what type of ballistic missile was launched, although the US Pacific Command said that “the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile”.

Outside military experts will closely analyse what type of missile the North fired. While Pyongyang regularly tests shorter-range missiles, it is also working to master the technology needed to field nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the US mainland.

Past North Korean missiles have flown farther than yesterday’s test, landing closer to Japan, but this latest launch followed a series of high-profile failures.

Whatever the type of missile, the launch forces the new South Korean leader, Moon Jae-in, to put dealing with Pyongyang above the domestic economic agenda he made a priority for his early days in office.

Mr Moon, a liberal who favours a softer approach to the North than his conservative predecessors, strongly condemned the launch during an emergency national security meeting.

He called it a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a serious challenge to international peace and security, according to senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan.

“The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this provocation occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea,” Mr Yoon told a televised conference.

“The president said we are leaving open the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, but we should sternly deal with a provocation to prevent North Korea from miscalculating.”

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said the missile flew about 500 miles from a launch site on North Korea’s western coast, travelled for about 30 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan, but not inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Japan’s defence ministry said the missile probably reached an altitude of 1,240 miles.

Prime minister Shinzo Abe said that the launch is “absolutely unacceptable” and that Japan will respond resolutely.

North Korea is not believed to have tested a true intercontinental ballistic missile yet.