N Korea fires unidentified projectile from near missile base: S Korea

SEOUL - North Korea fired an unidentified projectile from its Tongchang-ri region, where a missile base is located, South Korea's military said on Monday, a possible retaliation by the reclusive state to joint U.S.-South Korean drills that began last week.

The projectile landed in the sea off North Korea's east coast, the military added.

Tongchang-ri is near the North's border with China, where the isolated state fired a long-range rocket last year that put an object into orbit. The launch was condemned by the United Nations for violating resolutions that ban the use of missile technology.

A South Korean military official said the launch, which came at 7:36 a.m. (6.36 am Singapore time), was being analyzed to determine the type of the projectile used.

North Korea has threatened to take "strong retaliatory measures" after South Korea and the United States began annual joint military drills on Wednesday that test their defensive readiness against possible aggression from the North.

North Korea criticizes the annual drills calling them preparation for war against it.

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