North Korea fires submarine-launched ballistic missile

SEOUL — North Korea fired what appeared to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile off its east coast Saturday, the U.S. and South Korea said, the latest in a string of tests that are part of efforts by the North to advance technology capable of delivering nuclear warheads.

The missile was fired from a location near the North Korean coastal town of Sinpo, where analysts have previously detected efforts by the North to develop submarine-launched ballistic missile systems, said an official from Seoul’s Defense Ministry.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the missile likely flew only a few miles before exploding in midair, but the Defense Ministry official couldn’t confirm the report.

“We strongly condemn this and North Korea’s other recent missile tests, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea’s launches using ballistic missile technology,” said Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross.