North Korea fired
a ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday, according to the South Korean
military. This is the latest in a series of missile tests being conducted by
North Korea. South Korean military’s joints chiefs of staff issued a statement
saying, the “unidentified ballistic missile” was fired from Sinpo in the sea
east of the peninsula adding that South Korea and US intelligence are “analysing
for additional detail”.

North Korea is
said to be developing a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and has
already carried out an underwater launch. Analysts, however, say that the SLBM
test carried out by North Korea is likely to have been from a submerged
platform and not a submarine.

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Sinpo, the region
where the missile was fired, is a naval shipyard. According to AFP, satellite
photos of the region have previously shown submarines at the facility. North Korea’s
missile launches have triggered a regional arms race in the Korean peninsula.
South Korea tested its own SLBM last month and unveiled a supersonic cruise
missile.

Now, after North
Korea launched a missile on Tuesday, South Korea has decided to convene a
National Security Council meeting. North Korea has indulged itself in
exhibiting its military prowess. It tested a long-range cruise missile as well
as a train-launched weapon which it called a hypersonic war head.

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North Korea also
unveiled a weapons exhibition showcasing massive international ballistic
missile (ICBM) at a night-time military parade held last year.

Tuesday’s missile
launch by North Korea comes at a time a United States envoy has sought talks
with Pyongyang. Sung Kim, the US special representative on North Korea, said, “We
will seek diplomacy with the DPRK to make tangible progress that increases the
security of the United States and its allies.

He added that
allies had “a responsibility to implement UN Security Council resolutions”
referring to sanctions that North Korea seeks to see lifted.