<\/p>\n
North Korea fired an apparent intermediate-range missile off its east coast on Sunday, South Korea said, as tensions run high after Pyongyang\u2019s recent launches of an intercontinental ballistic missile and its first military spy satellite.<\/p>\n
\u201cNorth Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile towards East Sea,\u201d Seoul\u2019s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.<\/p>\n
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said had it detected the launch but gave no further details.<\/p>\n
Japan\u2019s coast guard said that an \u201cobject, potentially ballistic missile, launched from North Korea,\u201d citing information from the country\u2019s defence ministry, and warning vessels to take care.<\/p>\n
North Korea\u2019s last missile test was of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, which it fired into the East Sea on December 18.<\/p>\n
The apparent test comes days after North Korea conducted<\/a> a series of rare live-fire drills near the maritime border with the South, prompting counter-exercises and evacuation orders for some South Korean border islands.<\/p>\n