A ballistic missile fired from the North’s eastern coastal Wonsan area around 6am flew more than 700 kilometres, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Seoul condemned the test and warned it remains ready to repel any provocation in cooperation with the US.

South Korea says North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward the sea, the second such weapons testing activity by North Korea in less than a week.

The ballistic missile launch comes as South Korea and the US plan to conduct major joint military drills to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities.