North Korea fires suspected long-range ballistic missile

The South Korean military has said that North Korea fired a suspected long-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on July 12, amid tensions caused by the reclusive regime's accusations against U.S. spy aircraft operations earlier this week.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from an area in or around Pyongyang at about 10 a.m. It did not elaborate further, pending an analysis, Yonhap News Agency reports.

"While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.

The North's last long-range missile launch took place on April 13, when it fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile.

The latest launch came as major diplomatic and security gatherings are taking place this week, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Lithuania and the ASEAN Regional Forum in Indonesia.

At the NATO summit, President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to discuss security cooperation against North Korea's military threats with other leaders.

The North's saber-rattling also came after its failed launch of a space rocket carrying its first military reconnaissance satellite in late May. The rocket crashed into the Yellow Sea after an abnormal starting of the second-stage engine, according to the North's state media.