North Korean missile flies more than 400 miles as tensions persist on the peninsula

North Korea fired a ballistic missile 422 miles into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, on Saturday, its latest launch amid heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The missile flew northeastward off North Korea’s eastern coast around 6:36 a.m. and reached an estimated altitude of 56 miles, according to a statement posted that evening on Japan’s Ministry of Defense website.

No damage to aircraft or vessels has been reported, the ministry said.

Tokyo lodged a protest with Pyongyang and condemned the launch as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, according to the post.

The ministry initially announced at 6:39 a.m. that North Korea had fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile. It later reported that the projectile had apparently fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, an area extending up to 200 nautical miles outside a country’s coastline.

The launch came 13 days after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the same sea on Sept. 20. Pyongyang later described those launches as a test of a new combat weapon system observed by leader Kim Jong Un.

Saturday’s launch came amid heightened tension along the Demilitarized Zone after a pair of landmines exploded on the South Korean side of the border on Sept. 21, injuring three South Korean soldiers.

U.N. Command later determined an armistice violation occurred after investigators discovered an unexploded North Korean anti-personnel mine buried near the blast site. The command said its investigation into the two exploded mines is ongoing.

Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the mines and warned of retaliation if South Korean forces fire on North Korean troops working along the border.

Stars and Stripes reporter Keishi Koja contributed to this report.