Missile fired by North Korea lands in Japanese waters

A missile test launch in North Korea.
(Image credit: KCNA/AFP/Getty Images)

Japan and South Korea say North Korea launched a ballistic missile Wednesday off its east coast that traveled 620 miles, then landed in Japanese waters.

The country last fired missiles in July, and Wednesday's flight is believed to be the longest one yet for a North Korean test, BBC News reports. A South Korean official said it appears the missile was a medium-range Rodong, and said the launch showed North Korea's "ambition to attack neighboring countries." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called it an "unforgivable act of violence," and a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said America continues "to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.