Aug. 29 (UPI) — North Korea has fired yet another missile over waters off the eastern coast of the peninsula.
The South Korean military confirmed early Tuesday, local time, the projectile flew over Japan, according to Yonhap news agency.
The “unidentified” rocket was launched from Pyongyang, the country’s capital, at about 5:57 a.m., Seoul’s joint chiefs of staff said.
The provocation comes a few days after North Korea launched at least three ballistic missiles on Saturday, from the vicinity of Gitdaeryong in Kangwon province, a region that is divided between North and South.
Japanese television network NHK also reported North Korea launched a missile.
The launch also comes less than 24 hours after South Korea’s national intelligence service said North Korea is likely to engage in a missile provocation “within the period of joint Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises and Sept. 9, the Day of the Foundation of the [North Korean] Republic.”
The missile launches are a way for Pyongyang to communicate with the United States and to “establish a relationship” with Washington, according to Seoul’s spy agency.
The joint drills are to continue through Thursday.
North Korea’s latest provocation follows a Chinese decision to expel North Korean workers in the world’s second-largest economy.
Beijing’s commerce ministry also is imposing sanctions against North Korean companies and preventing them from expanding their presence in the China market.
