North Korea launches missile toward sea amid US-South Korea military drills

North Korea fired an unidentified missile, suspected to be ballistic, toward the sea off its east coast today. The launch was confirmed by military officials in South Korea and the Japanese Coast Guard. Japan reported that the projectile fell into the water outside of its exclusive economic zone. The launch occurs five days into major joint military exercises held by the United States and South Korea, which are intended to test readiness against regional threats. Washington and Seoul describe these drills as defensive, while Pyongyang characterizes them as rehearsal for armed aggression. North Korea has frequently opposed such exercises since diplomatic talks were suspended in 2019. Separately, the Prime Minister of South Korea met with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday to discuss restarting diplomatic dialogue with Pyongyang.