North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the Sea of ​​Japan on Wednesday morning, as part of the increased tensions in the region, but particularly on the Korean peninsula. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea has reported the launch, which has been detected near Pyongyang around 10:00 a.m. (local time), without providing details about it for the moment.

“While we strengthen our monitoring and surveillance, our Army maintains a fully prepared posture in close cooperation with the United States,” the JCS explained, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

For its part, the office of Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, who is in Vilnius for the NATO summit, he has given the order to devote “maximum effort” to collecting and analyzing information, guaranteeing the safety of aircraft and vessels, and taking all possible precautionary measures.

The Japan Coast Guard has announced, citing the Defense Ministry, that it is believed that the missile fell around 11:15 a.m., outside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), about 550 kilometers east of the Korean peninsula, with no damage reported. According to ministerial portfolio officials, the missile would have been launched on a “high trajectory.”

The Japanese government spokesman, Hirokazu Matsuno, has asserted that “North Korea’s series of actions, including the repeated launching of ballistic missiles, threaten the peace and security of the Japanese region and the international community, and are absolutely unacceptable,” reports NHK television.

Kim Yo Jong, sister of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, denounced this Tuesday that a United States military reconnaissance aircraft it had “illegally entered the economic water zone” of North Korea about eight times in the sky of the Sea of ​​Japan. “In case of repeated illegal intrusion, US forces will experience a very critical flight,” Kim warned, denouncing Washington’s “provocation” along with Seoul, whose forces were carrying out joint military maneuvers.

The North Korean authorities also denounced on Monday the Washington’s decision to deploy US nuclear submarines on the peninsulaconsidering that said decision will increase tensions in the region. Following these statements, the US State Department urged Pyongyang to “refrain from escalating actions” and “engage in serious and sustained diplomacy.”