North Korea fires ballistic missile after US sanctions bankers in blow to hopes for Trump-Kim summit
North Korea fires new missile as tensions grow with US
- North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards its eastern waters on Friday, as confirmed by the South Korean military.
- The suspected short-range ballistic missile travelled approximately 700km after being launched from an inland area in Taekwan.
- This launch followed Pyongyang's denouncement of recent US sanctions on its banking officials, who are accused of laundering money for the country’s nuclear weapons programme.
- North Korea warned the US of unspecified countermeasures, stating that such “threat and blackmail” would undermine prospects for bilateral dialogue.
- This marks North Korea’s second missile launch in under three weeks and its tenth test this year, occurring amidst unfulfilled hopes for a meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.