Jan 5, 2022 - World

North Korea launches first ballistic missile in 2 months

Axios

People watching a television at the Seoul Railway Station on Jan. 5. — People watching a television at the Seoul Railway Station on Wednesday. Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Wednesday, its first launch in roughly two months, according to AP.

Why it matters: The provocation is a signal that North Korea does not intend to rejoin denuclearization talks.

South Korea's military said it believes the missile was fired from North Korea’s Jagang province and landed in its eastern waters.

The big picture: The country and its dictator, Kim Jong-un, had been relatively quiet throughout the Biden administration, but Tuesday's launch could indicate that behavior is changing.

The country hasn't tested a nuclear weapon or intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017, though it has continued to rebuff talks proposed by the Biden administration, Axios' Dave Lawler reports.

Go deeper: President Moon Jae-in: End to Korean War agreed to "in principle"

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the missile was launched on Wednesday in North Korea, not Tuesday.

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North Korea launches first ballistic missile in 2 months

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