S. Korea ready to defend against N. Korea’s provocation

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast early on Sunday, the South’s military said, the first time the isolated state has tested such a device since the election of US President Donald Trump.

"Our military is poised to respond immediately to any provocations from North Korea that threaten the security of the Republic of Korea," First Deputy Director of operations in Joint Chief of Staff (JCS), Jeon Dong-jin, said in Seoul.

The missile was launched from an area called Panghyon in North Korea’s western region just before 8 a.m. (2300 GMT Saturday) and flew about 500 km (300 miles), the South’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

"Unless the Kim Jong Un regime shakes off the delusion of nuclear and missile provocations, this is a grave warning that the North Korean regime will shortly self-destruct," Jeon added.

North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and numerous missile-related tests in 2016 and was seen by experts and officials to be making progress in its weapons capabilities, although until Sunday no ballistic missile launch attempt had been detected since October.