With Blinken visiting Seoul, North Korea launches ballistic missile

North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Monday, South Korean military officials reported. The missile, fired near Pyongyang, traveled 700 miles before landing in the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. No damage was reported, but South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the act as a “clear provocation” and increased surveillance.

Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani labeled the launch a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and issued a stern protest. He called North Korea’s actions a threat to regional and international peace.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Seoul during the launch, denounced it as another violation of U.N. resolutions. Blinken highlighted failed attempts to engage Kim Jong Un in talks and expressed concern over North Korea’s alliance with Russia, warning of challenges tied to military and space technology.