Second missile launch in less than a week intensifies pressure on the US and follows UN condemnation.

North Korea has test-fired a suspected ballistic missile, believed to be an advanced version of a “hypersonic missile” launched just days earlier. This launch, which occurred on Tuesday morning, is part of Pyongyang’s ongoing efforts to exert pressure on the US amid stalled nuclear negotiations and worsening economic conditions.

The missile was fired from an inland area of North Korea and traveled more than 700km (435 miles) at a maximum altitude of 60km (37 miles), reaching speeds of Mach 10, ten times the speed of sound. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) described it as more advanced than the previous missile fired on 5 January, and both South Korean and US intelligence are conducting a detailed analysis.

The missile is reported to have landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but the launch has still drawn strong condemnation from neighboring countries. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed regret over North Korea’s continued missile tests, while South Korea’s National Security Council urged for resumption of dialogue in the wake of the provocative actions.

This missile test follows a recent round of discussions at the UN, which failed to produce a resolution on how to address North Korea’s missile activities, specifically the hypersonic missile tests which are difficult to track and intercept due to their high speed and low flight trajectories.