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North Korea Conducts First Ballistic Missile Launch of the Year Into East Sea

The timing overlapped with President Lee Jae Myung's departure for a four-day visit to China at Xi Jinping's invitation.

Overview

  • South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed a ballistic missile was fired into the East Sea on Sunday morning.
  • The shot marked Pyongyang’s first ballistic missile launch in about two months, following a Nov. 7 short-range test.
  • President Lee left for Beijing for talks that are expected to include North Korea’s denuclearization at a SeoulBeijing summit on Monday.
  • Reporting notes the launch occurred immediately after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Washington had ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro through military action.
  • No causal link between the missile test and other international developments was presented in the reporting.