North Korea reportedly fires missile as it continues to warn of retaliation

The North Korean government reportedly fired a missile on Friday in what was likely a show of braggadocio as it continued to demand a cessation to nearby military drills.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday that North Korea fired a ballistic missile early in the evening from Sunan near the latter country’s airport. 

The location of the missile’s landing was not immediately clear, though Japan said it was thought to have splashed down in the waters of that country’s exclusive economic zone. 

The firing was almost certainly related to North Korea’s continued demands for the U.S. and South Korea to cease military proceedings in the area, with the country appearing to confirm that motive on Friday prior to the firing.

“In case the US and South Korea carry into practice their already-announced plan for military drills,” a North Korean defense spokesman said, according to state-run media, “they will face unprecedentedly persistent and strong counteractions.”