SEOUL, January 6. /TASS/. A ballistic missile, launched by North Korea against the background of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul, has traveled about 1,100 kilometers and splashed into the Sea of Japan, Yonhap reported, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
As reported earlier, the missile was launched from Pyongyang in the direction of the Sea of Japan about noon local time (3 a.m. GMT). The South Korean military believes that it was an intermediate-range ballistic missile.
On January 6 in Seoul, Blinken held talks with his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul. Earlier, he met with acting President Choi Sang-mok and discussed bilateral ties and North Korea. Previously, Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile on November 5, 2024.
Blinken’s visit is taking place amid a political crisis in South Korea. On December 14, 2024, South Korea’s parliament voted to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol over his decision to declare martial law, which was seen as a violation of the country’s constitution. The Constitutional Court now has to decide whether to uphold the impeachment motion or reinstate the president. Yoon has been suspended from office until the verdict is announced.