North Korea fires ballistic missile, says South Korea; ‘no impact on Japan’

South Korea’s military alleged on Tuesday that North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile toward the east, just days before world leaders are set to gather in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

NHK cited government sources as saying that there was “no impact on Japan due to North Korea's missile.”

According to the Associated Press, North Korea usually test-launches missiles in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, causing no damage in neighbouring countries.

But the Joint Chiefs of Staff statement said the latest missile was launched in an eastward direction.

It was said to be North Korea's first weapons testing activity in about five months. The launch is the nuclear-armed North's first of its kind since South Korean President Lee Jae-myun