North Korea fires ballistic missile toward East Sea of Japan, says S. Korea

Seoul [South Korea]: Following its ongoing unwillingness to respond to what were formerly daily cross-border communications, North Korea on Thursday fired an unspecified ballistic missile towards the East Sea of Japan on Thursday, Yonhap News Agency said citing the South Korean military.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they discovered the launch. However, they did not go into further detail about it as the investigation is underway.

Tensions increased on Tuesday as state media in the North claimed that leader Kim Jong-un had called for strengthening his nation's military deterrence in a more "practical and offensive" way, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Moreover, the Japanese government said the North Korean missile could be heading towards Japan as Pyongyang fired an unspecified missile in the East Sea amid rising tensions with Seoul and Washington.

Japan has warned that a North Korean missile has possibly come down in Hokkaido Prefecture or in the waters nearby, NHK World reported.

It is advising residents of the prefecture and the nearby areas to seek safety right away.