North Korea ‘fires missile into ocean’ in latest weapons launch

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea’s military said, the latest in a recent series of weapons launches by the North.

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the launch occurred on Monday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

In recent months, North Korea has been maintaining an accelerated pace in weapons testing as it continues to expand its military capabilities amid stalled diplomatic efforts with the United States and South Korea.

North Korea announced on Saturday that it tested a “super-large” cruise missile warhead and a new anti-aircraft missile in a western coastal area on Friday.

Some experts earlier said North Korea could launch major provocations such as a banned satellite launch this month to mark key state anniversaries — the April 15 birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of Kim Jong Un, and the April 25 founding anniversary of a predecessor of the North’s military.

South Korea’s military said it has detected evidence that North Korea is preparing for its second spy satellite launch, but there are no signs that a launch is imminent.