North Korea fired an unidentified projectile on a southern path off its west coast on Monday, South Korea’s military said.
The Japanese government issued an emergency warning on Monday for residents in the south to take cover from the possible threat of a North Korean missile, before lifting the warning and saying it was not expected to fly over Japanese territory.
Japan said, over its J-Alert broadcasting system, that North Korea appeared to have fired a missile, sending out the warning to residents in southern prefecture of Okinawa.
North Korea had earlier in the day notified Japan that it planned to launch a satellite between May 27 and June 4.
The launch would likely be the nuclear-armed North’s attempt to place a second spy satellite into orbit. After several failed attempts that ended when the rockets crashed, North Korea successfully placed its first such satellite in orbit in November.
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3:17PM
Emergency warning in Japan’s south lifted
The Japanese government has lifted the emergency warning for residents in the south to take cover, saying the unidentified projectile was not expected to fly over Japanese territory.
3:15PM
North Korea’s satellite plans
Earlier on Monday, North Korea revealed plans to launch a satellite by June 4, in an apparent effort to put the North’s second military spy satellite into orbit despite UN bans.
Officials from Japan, the US and South Korea held talks and called on North Korea to halt the launch, which it said helps Pyongyang’s ballistic missile program and is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
North Korea typically sends notice ahead of launches that point out where rocket stages may fall along a southerly path over the Yellow Sea and waters near the Philippines. Pyongyang said it has a right to conduct a civilian space program.
South Korea conducted an air exercise near its border with North Korea in a show of force just hours after Japan received the notification. The drills comprised of about 20 fighters, including F-35A stealth jets, South Korea’s military said in a notice sent to reporters.
Pyongyang had two failed attempts prior to the launch in November that successfully deployed a satellite. North Korea claims the probe it put into orbit has taken photos of sites including the White House.
Kim Jong-un’s regime has said it wants to use spy satellites to keep an eye on US forces in the region, and the probes could help it in its targeting as it steps up its ability to deliver a nuclear strike.
3:09PM
North Korea earlier said summit talk of denuclearisation is ‘grave political provocation’
The alerts come the same day as North Korea said that discussion at a summit between Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul of denuclearising the Korean peninsula was a “grave political provocation” and violated its constitutional status as a nuclear weapons state.
“To discuss the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula today constitutes a grave political provocation,” a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement published by state media, adding it would “violate the constitutional position of our country as a nuclear weapons state”.
3:07PM
Alert to take shelter
Japan has alerted residents on Okinawa island to take shelter.
3:04PM
South Korean military reports ‘unidentified projectile’
The South Korean military is also reporting that North Korea has fired an “unidentified projectile”.
2:59PM
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We’re bringing you the latest updates as North Korea fires what appears to be a ballistic missile towards Japan.
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