North Korea fired a possible short-range submarine-launched ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan shortly past 2 p.m. Saturday local time (5 a.m. GMT), the South Korean military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The missile dropped into waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, after traveling about 600 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 50 kilometers, Japanese Defense Minister KISHI Nobuo said at a press conference in Tokyo.

The missile launch “threatens the peace and stability of our country, the region and the international community and is totally unacceptable,” Kishi said. The firing “violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and we condemn it,” he said.

Japan lodged a protest through its embassy in Beijing.

Kishi also said, “We’ll closely work together with countries concerned, including the United States and South Korea, to resolutely protect the lives and peaceful livelihood of the people.”

The Japanese defense minister added that it is possible that North Korea will complete preparations to conduct a nuclear test as early as this month.

North Korea last fired an SLBM in October. Saturday’s firing may have been a test of a new SLBM that Pyongyang showcased at military parades in January and April.

The latest missile launch comes ahead of Tuesday’s inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and a summit of US President Joe Biden and Yoon set for May 21.

Pyongyang has conducted a series of missile tests this year, including Wednesday’s launch of a ballistic missile that traveled about 500 kilometers at a maximum altitude of some 800 kilometers.

JIJI Press