North Korea launched another ballistic missile Friday, the second such launch in just a few weeks, the Pentagon said.
"I can confirm that we detected a launch of a ballistic missile from North Korea," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters Friday. "We are assessing and will have more information soon."
Davis said the launch occurred at about 10:45 a.m. EDT.
Possible landing site
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the missile may have landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and he convened an emergency meeting of Japanese officials to respond to the launch.
North Korea has carried out several ballistic missile tests over the past two years. Earlier this month, Pyongyang launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time. The missile flew for 39 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan. Experts said the ICBM may have had a range capable of reaching the U.S. state of Alaska.
“North Korea is slowly morphing into a nuclear and missile power right before our very eyes,” said Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies from the Center for the National Interest.
Susan Thornton, the acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, testified on Capitol Hill Thursday that North Korea is “the most urgent and dangerous threat.”
“We are working to isolate and increase pressure on North Korea with the goal of convincing the regime to return to serious talks aimed at denuclearization. This has been and remains this Administration’s top diplomatic priority,” said Thorton.
State Department correspondent Nike Ching contributed to this report
