North Korea fires possible hypersonic ballistic missile, Seoul and Tokyo report

North Korea on Monday carried out the first ballistic missile launch so far this year, amid similar launches in recent months, according to South Korean and Japanese officials. This launch aggravates rising tensions on the Korean peninsula.

According to preliminary reports from South Korea, the projectile was an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). It was fired around midnight from an area near Pyongyang, traveling approximately 650 miles before landing in the sea.

In Japan, the Ministry of Defense estimated that the projectile fell around 12:12 local time, outside its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Given the situation, the Japanese government activated an emergency team to collect data and verify possible damage.

The seriousness of the situation is even greater considering that the event occurred just a few days before Donald Trump‘s inauguration. It is important to note that previous launches took place on November 5, coinciding with the U.S. presidential election.

Tensions between the two Koreas are at one of their most critical moments in years, due to Pyongyang's increased ballistic tests, in open violation of international sanctions.