North Korea Reportedly Fires Unidentified Projectile, Report Suggests

This is the second launch from the country this week, as on Wednesday another projectile was fired towards the East Sea,

According to Yonhap News, citing the South Korean military, Pyongyang fired an unidentified missile on Saturday. At the same time, the Japanese Coast Guard noted that the projectile could be a ballistic missile.

"According to the information of the defense ministry, North Korea has carried out the launch of, presumably, a ballistic missile. Vessels are asked to monitor up-to-date information and, if fragments are detected, not to approach them and notify the coast guard", the agency said in a statement.

Later, the Japanese authorities said the projectile has already fallen into the sea, and urged people to avoid debris from the object if they encounter it.

This is the 15th such incident since the beginning of the year, with the most notable launch taking place on 24 March, when North Korean authorities claimed they successfully tested the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile.

Previously, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated that the nation needs to boost its military power in order to "preemptively and thoroughly contain" the nuclear threat from hostile forces.