United States and Japan seek emergency United Nations meeting on North Korea test

North Korea test fired a submarine-based ballistic missile from its east coast Wednesday, its latest violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The projectile reached Japan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) for the first time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a briefing, referring to an area of control designated by countries to help maintain air security.

“North Korea’s launch of the SLBM seemed to be aimed at raising military tension in response to the Seoul-Washington military drill”, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, Yonhap News reported.

Hyon, who was serving as North Korea’s ambassador to Britain, may have been ordered to return to Pyongyang after the defection of the No. 2 embassy official, Thae Yong Ho, South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported. The launch was also the latest in a series of missile, rocket and other weapon tests by North Korea, which is openly pushing to acquire a reliable weapon capable striking targets as far away as the continental U.S.

While expectations for concrete achievements at the talks were low, Japan was to offer details about the 1 billion yen ($1 million) fund that Tokyo promised as a way to atone for its wartime sexual abuse of South Korean women.

Wednesday’s launch came two days after the United States and South Korea began joint military drills, which the allies conduct annually over a two-week period – to the intense displeasure of the North, which views them as a rehearsal for invasion. The United States and South Korea are closely analyzing the details.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemned the launch and warned of more sanctions and isolation for its rival that “will only speed up its self-destruction”.

The launch also comes at a time of intensified animosities between the rival Koreas over the defection of a senior North Korean diplomat in London and a US plan to install a sophisticated missile defense system in South Korea.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch an “impermissible and outrageous act” that poses a grave threat to Japan.

North Korea has become further isolated after a January nuclear test, its fourth, and the launch of a long-range rocket in February which brought tightened United Nations sanctions.

North Korea on Tuesday requested a meeting of the U.N. Security Council over the U.S.

South Korea believes the North has a fleet of more than 70 ageing, limited-range submarines – a mix of Chinese, Russian and locally made boats.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who chaired the meeting with China’s Wang Yi and South Korea’s Yun Byung-se, said the missile launch is a “provocation that simply can not be tolerated”.

A man watches a TV news program showing a file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Seoul Railway station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016.