SEOUL:  North Korea conducted a suspected ballistic missile launch on Wednesday, making it the second in less than a week, which also comes amid the backdrop of a US-South Korea combined military drill which will commence next week.

While Yonhap News Agency citing South Korean military reported that Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, the United States only referred to it as a “missile launch”, the US Pacific Command issued a statement shortly after the launch.

US Pacific Command reiterated its commitment to the defence of US homeland and allies in the region and noted that the strike did not pose an immediate threat to them.

Meanwhile, Japan termed it a “suspected ballistic missile launch” by Pyongyang and the Prime Minister’s Office issued instructions urging all possible measures for precaution.

The development comes on the heels of the upcoming US-South Korea military Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield which is slated to run 10 days from August 17-27.

As per Yonhap, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the missile launched from the Wonsan area on the east coast at around 6 a.m. (local time) and further mentioned that the missile flew more than 700 kilometers, with a detailed analysis on its specifications under way by South Korean and American authorities.

It mentioned that while the military has yet to specify the type or range of the missile, the range it provided suggested the launch likely involved a short-range missile, that typically flies 300 to 1,000 km.

North Korea has time and again denounced the military drills as war rehearsals and conducted has often conducted its own weapons tests around the training period in a show of protest, Yonhap said.

In wake of the developments, South Korea’s National Security Office (NSO) expressed concerns over continued missile launches since last week, urging Pyongyang to stop such provocations that are in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The missile launch also prompted the NSO to convene an emergency meeting with defence and military officials shortly after Wednesday’s launch to assess the launch and its impact on security, and directed necessary measures, officials said.

It also makes the launch 11th such by Pyongyang in 2026. (ANI)