North Korea on Monday fired a ballistic missile that flew 1,100 kilometers (685 miles) before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, South Korea’s military said, extending its heightened weapons testing activities into 2025 weeks before Donald Trump returns as U.

North Korea has launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile towards the sea to its east, marking its first missile test in two months, according to South Korea's military. The missile traveled approximately 1,100 kilometres before falling into the sea. South Korea strongly condemned the launch, calling it a "clear act of provocation."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a North Korean missile test carried out during his visit to Seoul on Monday was a reminder of the need to deepen Washington's cooperation with South Korea and Japan to deter an emboldened Pyongyang.