Seoul: North fires ballistic missile toward eastern sea

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern sea, extending a recent barrage of weapons demonstrations including what it described as simulated attacks on South Korean and U.S. targets last week. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the western town of Sukchon and flew across the country toward waters off the North’s eastern coast.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries assessed that the missile flew about 155 to 180 miles at a maximum altitude of 18 to 30 miles. The low trajectory seemed to align with the flight characteristics of some of North Korea’s newer shortrange weapons designed to evade missile defenses.