The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on the 4th. It was the first ballistic missile launch by North Korea this year; the previous launch took place on Nov. 7 last year.
Japan's Defense Ministry said two objects believed to be ballistic missiles fired by North Korea appeared to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
According to the military, the missile North Korea launched at 7:50 a.m. that day flew about 900 kilometers. Based on the flight distance, it is presumed to be a short-range ballistic missile, but its exact specifications are under detailed analysis. No damage from the missile has been confirmed yet.
The North's missile launch that day came immediately after the U.S. Trump administration's announcement to oust Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro.
It was also carried out on the same day President Lee Jae-myung set off for a state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Starting that day, the president was scheduled for a three-night, four-day itinerary
Because of this, some analysts said the launch was a show of force to highlight that North Korea possesses military capabilities different from Venezuela's, and an attempt to assert its presence ahead of the South Korea-China summit that will address the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The military said it was strengthening surveillance and vigilance in preparation for additional launches, closely sharing information on the ballistic missiles with the United States and Japan, and maintaining a full readiness posture