The missile was launched at 07:55 local time (22:55 GMT Saturday) and flew east towards the Sea of Japan for about 500km, South Korean officials say. Pyongyang has conducted a number of nuclear tests in the past year. Sunday’s launch took place from the Banghyon air base in North Pyongan province on the west side of the Korean peninsula.  A national security meeting called by the South Korean government is due to convene shortly to discuss the launch.  South Korea’s Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff described the launch as a “show of force”.

A US defence official quoted by Reuters news agency said Washington “can confirm that we did detect a missile launch from North Korea”. On a visit to South Korea last week, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said that any use of nuclear weapons by North Korea would be met with an “effective and overwhelming” response.

He also reconfirmed plans to deploy a US missile defence system in South Korea later this year. North Korea conducted its fifth test of a nuclear device last year, and claims it is capable of carrying out a nuclear attack on the US, though experts are still unconvinced that its technology has progressed that far.  It has also said in recent weeks that it has a new intercontinental ballistic missile,  launch at any time. Source : bbc