This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-into-the-sea-a6937811.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
North Korea fires ballistic missile into the sea, says Seoul North Korea fires ballistic missile into the sea, says Seoul
(35 minutes later)
North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the sea, just days after leader Kim Jong-Un ordered further nuclear warhead and missile tests, according South Korea’s defence ministry. North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the sea, just days after leader Kim Jong-Un ordered further nuclear warhead and missile tests, according South Korea’s defence ministry. 
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile flew 800 kilometres before crashing off the North's east coast on Friday. The launch comes amid heightened tension on the Korean peninsula with the North remaining defiant in the face of the U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed earlier in the month in response to a nuclear test conducted in January.
The missile was launched from an area near the west coast north of the capital, Pyongyang, flying across the peninsular and into the sea off the east coast early Friday morning, Seoul’s office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. 
They added the missile flew 800 kilometres before crashing off the North's east coast on Friday.
Reuters reported that the distance was likely beyond the range of most short-range missiles in Pyongyang’s arsenal. The regime last fired medium-range missiles in 2014.
It wasn't immediately known what type of missile was fired.It wasn't immediately known what type of missile was fired.
The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered tests of a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying warheads. North Korea had also said it succeeded in a simulated test of a re-entry vehicle aimed at returning a nuclear warhead safely back to the atmosphere from space during a missile launch. Associated Press, Reuters
Taken together, Seoul analysts had said Pyongyang would likely fire a missile to test the re-entry technology that it needs acquire to develop a long-range nuclear missile.
More follows 
Associated Press