Seoul: North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea's military reported, marking the second such launch in less than a week. This act appears to be a protest against an upcoming combined military exercise between South Korea and the United States.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected the missile, which was launched from the Wonsan area on the east coast at approximately 6 a.m. The missile traveled over 700 kilometers, and a detailed analysis of its specifications is currently being conducted by South Korean and U.S. authorities.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies have been tracking the missile launch since its early stages and have shared information with Japan. The two countries are maintaining a full readiness posture through continued cooperation, the JCS stated. "Under the staunch South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring various North Korean activities and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation," the JCS added.

This latest missile launch occurred just six days after North Korea fired what was identified as a short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea. The timing coincides with the upcoming key annual combined exercise between South Korea and the U.S., which is set to begin next week. Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned these allied drills as war rehearsals and has conducted its own weapons tests during such periods as a form of protest.

South Korea's National Security Office (NSO) has expressed significant concerns over these continued missile launches, urging Pyongyang to halt such provocations, which contravene U.N. Security Council resolutions. Following Wednesday's launch, the NSO convened an emergency meeting with defense and military officials to assess the situation and its impact on security, directing necessary response measures.

This launch marks the 11th missile test conducted by North Korea this year.