The Japanese coast guard said the missile appeared to have fallen into the sea. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was analyzing the North Korean missile's flight range and other capabilities.

The ballistic missile launch came 15 days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un directed a firing drill using a super-large multiple rocket launcher in the country's western region.

The drills came a day after South Korea and Japan reported that North Korea had fired several intermediate-range ballistic missiles into the sea, the first such missile test in about two months.

During the drill, Kim Jong Un directed the drill, which was aimed at checking the "actual combat capability" of the 600-mm multiple rocket launchers and improving the morale and readiness of the combat units, KCNA said.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region have prompted the United States and its major Asian allies South Korea and Japan to expand security cooperation.

Hoang Anh (according to Yonhap, Reuters)