North Korea fires ballistic missile

(Patria) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast on Sunday, days after artillery drills with live ammunition organized by Pyongyang near the maritime border with South Korea, Seoul announced.

“North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

On Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described South Korea as the country’s “main enemy”.

The Japanese coast guard said it was an “object, possibly a ballistic missile, launched from North Korea,” citing information from the country’s defense ministry and asked ships to be cautious.

The last missile North Korea launched on December 18 was a Hwasong-18 class missile, its most advanced, and it was fired into the Sea of Japan.

“The historic moment has finally come when we should define (South Korea) as a state most hostile towards (North Korea),” Kim said, calling South Korea “our main enemy”.

“The comments mark a shift in North Korea’s policy and suggest Pyongyang will adopt a tougher stance in the future, analysts say.

Last year, North Korea enshrined its status as a nuclear power in its constitution and fired several intercontinental ballistic missiles, violating UN resolutions.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been rising after Pyongyang launched its first military spy satellite in November.

In December, North Korea said it had tested its latest intercontinental ballistic missile to assess the combat readiness of its nuclear forces in light of growing hostility with the US.

Washington and its allies have simultaneously begun operating a real-time missile data-sharing system.