Seoul: North Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile

North Korea fired a ballistic missile Friday, Seoul's military said, around a week after US President Donald Trump approved South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

- 

Analysts have said Seoul’s plan to construct one of the atomic-driven vessels would likely draw an aggressive response from Pyongyang.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.

The missile landed in the sea outside Japan’s economic waters and no damage or injuries had been reported, said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The missile launched at 12:35 pm (0335 GMT) from an area north of Pyongyang and flew around 700 kilometres (435 miles), South Korea’s military said.

North Korea has significantly increased missile testing in recent years, which analysts say is aimed at improving precision strike capabilities, challenging the United States as well as South Korea, and testing weapons before potentially exporting them to Russia.