South Korea accuses North Korea of firing ballistic missiles

 South Korea's military has claimed that North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sunday.

According to the French news agency AFP, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, said in a statement on Sunday morning, without giving further details, that "North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile."

The missile launch comes after reports that Pyongyang is preparing to launch a submarine-launched ballistic missile.

Japan's coast guard also confirmed a possible ballistic missile launch, citing information from Tokyo's defense ministry, and instructed ships to be alert.

"Vessels please stay alert for new information and if you see anything please do not approach them but notify the Coast Guard," the Coast Guard said.

"The object appears to have fallen outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone," Japan's public broadcaster said.

The nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group ships sank in the southern port city of Busan on Friday, part of an effort by Seoul and Washington to keep more US strategic assets operating in the region. .

South Korean President Yoon Seok-yul, who took office in May, has vowed to step up joint military exercises with the United States after years of failed diplomacy with North Korea under his predecessor.

The USS Reagan will participate in joint exercises off the east coast of South Korea this month.

Washington is Seoul's main security ally and has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to protect it from North Korea.

The two countries have long held joint drills that they say are purely defensive (exercises), but North Korea views them as offensive drills.

South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test.