The North fired the missile to the northeast at about 6:30 p.m. (0930 GMT), the South’s office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The missile flew “for a few minutes,” for about 30 km (18 miles), Yonhap agency said, citing a military source.
North Korean state news agency KCNA claimed the launch was successful, and said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “guided on the spot the underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile.”
The U.S. military’s Strategic Command said in a statement issued from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska that it tracked what appeared to be a North Korean missile launched from the Sea of Japan. The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the launch posed no threat to the U.S. It didn’t provide details about the North Korean missile.
North Korea will hold a congress of its ruling Workers’ Party in early May for the first time in 36 years, at which its leader Kim Jong Un is expected to say the country is a strong military power and a nuclear state.
The first underwater launch of North Korean SLBM missile KN-11 was made on November 27, 2015, and allegedly resulted in failure.
The next try on December 21 was reported to be a success, with Pyongyang demonstrating its leader Kim Jong-un observing the launch.
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