A ballistic missile is fired at an unidentified location in North Korea. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The same day, the Japanese Government said North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile toward the east.

This is North Korea’s first launch of a projectile since last October, days after leader Kim Jong-un pledged to build up the North Korean military in an increasingly unstable world environment.

Last October, North Korea test-fired a new submarine-launched ballistic missile, raising concerns about what technical advances Pyongyang has made in hard-to-intercept weapons.