TOKYO, 05 January 2022, (TON): North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile off its east coast, underscoring leader Kim Jong Un’s New Year vow to bolster the military to counter an unstable international situation.

Japan’s coast guard, which first reported the launch, said “it could be a ballistic missile but did not provide further details.”

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters “since last year, North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles, which is very regrettable.”

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff also reported that nuclear-armed North Korea fired a presumed ballistic missile from an inland location toward the sea.

The JCS said in a statement “our military is maintaining readiness posture in preparation for a possible additional launch while closely monitoring the situation in close cooperation with the United States.”

Recent North Korean missile tests have often featured double or multiple launches.

United Nations Security Council resolutions ban all ballistic missile and nuclear tests by North Korea, and have imposed sanctions over the programs.

In state media summaries of a speech Kim gave ahead of the New Year, the North Korean leader did not specifically mention missiles or nuclear weapons, but said that national defense must be bolstered.