North Korea launches midrange ballistic missile in Japan sea
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SEOUL -- North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile Tuesday that appeared to have flown for a longer time than previous such missiles, landing in waters near North Korea's bitter rival, Japan, according to U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials.
The test is the latest in a string of recent similar launches as the North works to build a nuclear-tipped missile that can reach the U.S. mainland. It came on the eve of the U.S. Independence Day holiday, days after the first face-to-face meeting of the leaders of South Korea and the United States, and ahead of a global summit of the world's richest economies. Some specifics are still unclear, but the launch seems designed to send a political warning to Washington and its chief Asian allies, Seoul and Tokyo, as well as put North Korean scientists a step closer toward perfecting their still-incomplete nuclear missile program.
