N Korea fires missile, warns US of ‘fiercer’ military responses

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile towards its eastern waters, according to officials in Seoul, hours after threatening a “fiercer military response” to efforts by the United States to boost its security presence in the region, Qazet.az reports.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the short-range ballistic missile was fired from North Korea’s Wonsan area on Thursday.

The missile flew around 240 kilometres (149 miles) and reached an altitude of 47 kilometres (29 miles), the JCS said, adding that shortly before the launch, the South Korean and US militaries had staged a “pre-planned” missile defense exercise.

The South Korean military will continue to maintain a firm readiness posture, it said.