North Korea fires unidentified projectile into sea off west coast

North Korea launched an unidentified projectile off its west coast on Tuesday, according to South Korea’s military, in the latest sign of continued activity around Pyongyang’s weapons programme.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately provide further details about the launch.

The move comes after North Korea fired multiple short-range missiles on April 19, with state media describing the test as a demonstration of cluster bomb warheads.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accelerated efforts to expand the country’s nuclear and missile capabilities since diplomacy with US President Donald Trump broke down in 2019. While Trump has repeatedly signalled interest in reviving talks, Pyongyang has so far dismissed such overtures and insisted Washington abandon demands for denuclearisation as a condition for negotiations.

Amid stalled diplomacy, Kim has also intensified his rhetoric toward South Korea, branding it the North’s permanent and principal enemy as tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions continue to grow.