A ballistic missile is launched by North Korea for the first time in a month.

• On Sunday, Japan's coast guard reported that North Korea launched a ballistic missile, marking the first test since the country's record-breaking launches in January.
• The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea announced that North Korea had launched at least one "unidentified projectile" in an easterly direction, without providing further details.

On Sunday, North Korea launched a ballistic missile, according to military officials in South Korea and Japan, marking the first test since the country conducted a record number of launches in January.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea announced that a suspected ballistic missile was launched by North Korea towards the sea off its east coast from a location near Sunan, where Pyongyang's international airport is situated.

On Jan. 16, a pair of short-range ballistic missiles were fired at the airport during missile tests.

According to JCS, Sunday's missile reached a maximum altitude of approximately 620 km (385 miles) and had a range of about 300 km (186 miles).

Earlier tests did not closely match the flight data, and analysts suggested it could be a medium-range ballistic missile launched on a "lofted" trajectory.

Nobuo Kishi, Japan's Defense Minister, stated in a televised address that North Korea is rapidly developing ballistic missile technology and poses a threat to Japan, the region, and the international community. Since the beginning of the year, there have been numerous launches.

On January 30, North Korea conducted its last test, launching a Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missile.

In January, the Hwasong-12, the largest weapon test-fired since 2017, flew to an altitude of about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) and had a range of 800 km (500 miles). This was followed by a record month of mostly short-range missile launches.

South Korea election, ‘Putin’s war’

The launch on Sunday took place just under two weeks before South Korea's presidential election on March 9, with concerns among some in Seoul and Tokyo that Pyongyang may proceed with missile development while global attention is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Kishi stated that the launch of the rocket is unacceptable if North Korea is taking advantage of the international community's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

An emergency meeting was held by South Korea's National Security Council to discuss the launch, which they deemed "regrettable," as stated in a Blue House presidential office press release.

The statement emphasized that launching a ballistic missile during a time when the world is working towards resolving the Ukraine war is not conducive to peace and stability in the world, the region, and on the Korean Peninsula.

Last week, Yoon Suk-Yeol, the leading conservative candidate, cautioned that North Korea might view the Ukraine crisis as a chance to initiate its own provocation.

Despite stalled talks with the United States and its allies, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had already been increasing missile tests prior to the invasion.

John Delury, a professor at South Korea's Yonsei University, stated on Twitter that Putin's War significantly influences current geopolitics and should be considered in Kim's decision-making process. However, the idea of "taking advantage of distraction" assumes too much, as North Korea was already testing aggressively before the war.

Olympic lull in testing

Liu Xiaoming, China's representative on the Korean Peninsula, spoke with Sung Kim, his U.S. counterpart, on Sunday and urged the United States to pay more attention to North Korea's legitimate and reasonable concerns in order to create conditions for dialogue to resume.

Liu advised caution in words and actions for relevant parties on the Korean Peninsula to prevent tension escalation, as he stated on Twitter without specifying the date of the phone conversation or the latest test.

Beijing Olympics in February saw North Korea refrain from testing any missiles, despite its close ties to China. The 2022 Winter Paralympics commence in Beijing on Friday.

North Korea has hinted at resuming testing of its long-range missiles or nuclear weapons due to the persistent "hostile policies" from the United States.

The Kim regime's strength and legitimacy are linked to the continuous testing of better missiles, according to Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

"North Korea will not remain silent while the world tackles Russia's aggression against Ukraine," he stated.

The Pentagon and the U.S. State Department did not respond to Sunday's launch, while Washington expressed its willingness to negotiate with North Korea without preconditions. However, Pyongyang has yet to accept these overtures, deeming them insincere.

The United Nations Security Council has prohibited North Korea's ballistic missile launches through resolutions imposing sanctions on the country due to its missile and nuclear weapons programs.

North Korea's foreign ministry on Saturday posted a statement by a researcher, claiming that the United States is the "root cause" of the European crisis due to its pursuit of unilateral sanctions and pressure while disregarding Russia's legitimate demands for security.