North Korea Launches Missile Near Pyongyang

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A missile was launched from near North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported by Hotnews.

Japan's Ministry of Defense stated that the missile flew at an altitude of approximately 100 km (62 miles) and had a range of over 200 km.

High-ranking officials from South Korea, the United States, and Japan held a phone call condemning the launch as a violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and a significant threat to regional and global peace and stability.

International Condemnation and Calls for Restraint

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also issued a condemnation, urging Pyongyang to refrain from further illegal and destabilizing actions.

"While we assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation," the statement read.

North Korea's last missile launch was on May 30. This week's launch follows North Korea's criticism of a U.S. aircraft carrier's deployment for joint exercises with South Korea and Japan, warning of a "new overwhelming demonstration of deterrence."

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Escalating Military Cooperation and Historical Commemorations

The missile launch coincides with the 74th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit and signed a mutual defense pact.

Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo have criticized the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol calling the pact "anachronistic."

North Korean state media, KCNA, reported a mass rally in Pyongyang commemorating the war's anniversary, branding it a day of "struggle against American imperialism" and labeling the U.S. as a mortal enemy.

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