North Korea launches new type of ballistic missile

North Korea on Thursday fired a new model of a long-range ballistic missile, according to South Korea.

Scared residents of northern Japan were told to take cover, although there was no danger.

A South Korean military official said the missile appeared to be a new weapon displayed at recent North Korean military parades and may have used solid fuel.

South Korea’s military said the missile flew about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), calling it a “grave provocation.”

According to the official, the missile’s maximum altitude was less than 6,000 km, the apogee of some of last year’s record-breaking tests.

“So far we assess that they fired a new type of ballistic missile with an intermediate or intercontinental range,” the official said. “We’re still analysing details like the trajectory, altitude and range, with the possibility that it carried a solid-fuel propellant.”

The South Korean military said it was on high alert and coordinating closely with its main ally, the United States, which “strongly condemned” what it called a long-range ballistic missile test in a statement.

The missile was fired at 7:23 a.m. (2223 GMT on Wednesday) from near Pyongyang, the South’s military said. Japan’s coast guard said it had landed by 8:19 a.m.