North Korea fires possible ballistic missile

[zeynepaydogan]

Nuclear-armed North Korea fired an apparent ballistic missile Sunday morning, Japan’s Defense Ministry said, as the world remains fixated on Ukraine and[the Russian invasion of its neighbor.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/02/27/world/russia-ukraine-weapons-west/)

The South Korean military also confirmed the launch of an unidentified projectile.

Sunday’s launch comes after it conducted seven missile tests in January — the most ever in a single month for the isolated nation.

On Jan. 30, North Korea launched a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that Tokyo said has a range of 5,000 kilometers — putting all of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam within striking distance. It was the[first such test since November 2017.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/01/30/asia-pacific/north-korea-missile-launch-seventh/)Both Japan and Guam are home to key U.S. military bases that would be used in any crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

That move came weeks after North Korea hinted at ending its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests while calling on Washington to drop what it said is a “hostile policy” toward Pyongyang.

The remarks and launches have stoked concern that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may be opening the door to tests of increasingly powerful weapons after years of focusing on less provocative launches.

Amid concerns that the Ukraine crisis could take Washington’s focus off the North Korean nuclear threat, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied this would be the case last month, saying that the U.S. can[“walk and chew gum at the same time”](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/02/14/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/us-japan-korea-trilateral-meeting/)even as it faces down other global challenges
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