North Korea has fired another missile into the sea for the seventh time this year. According to information received from South Korea, it was a medium-range missile.

North Korea, a self-proclaimed nuclear power, has conducted its largest missile test since 2017, despite international sanctions. The General Staff of South Korea’s armed forces said on Sunday that North Korea fired a medium-range missile that flew about 800 kilometers into the open sea. The ballistic missile has reached a flight altitude of 2,000 km.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in accused North Korea of ​​moving one step closer to completely breaking its self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile tests. North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un announced in April 2018 that nuclear tests and tests with medium- and long-range missiles were no longer necessary. A decision of the Central Committee later referred to the testing ban of ICBMs only. Medium-range missiles are missiles with a range of 800 to 5,500 km.

South Korea accuses North of violating UN resolution

Moon also accused the neighboring country of violating UN resolutions on Sunday. The resolutions ban North Korea from testing ballistic missiles. These are usually surface-to-surface missiles that can also carry nuclear warheads.

North Korea has tested missiles several times since the beginning of the year. Ahead of the latest test, the country said it had fired two “strategic surface-to-surface guided missiles” with conventional warheads on Thursday.

Japan also recently confirmed the North Korean missile test. The Japanese news agency Kyodo quoted government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno as saying that the missile apparently fell into the Sea of ​​Japan (Korean: East Sea). Tokyo lodged a protest against the test.

North Korea regularly tests a variety of missiles. For years, the communist leadership in Pyongyang has been pushing for the development of missiles that could be equipped with nuclear weapons. Therefore it is subject to harsh international sanctions.

Faced with criticism of its missile tests, North Korea claims it is exercising its right of self-defense, among other things. The country has declared itself a nuclear power. Due to talks about its nuclear weapons program, however, its position remains open. America’s talks with North Korea have not been going well for three years.