North Korea fires suspected intermediate-range missile

North Korea fired a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast, South Korea's military said, in a move that sparked immediate condemnation from the prime minister of Japan.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that it detected the launch of what appeared to be a ballistic missile of an intermediate-range class from the area of the North Korean capital Pyongyang at 06.53am local time.

It flew about 600kms before falling into sea, South Korea said, while Japan's defense ministry estimated it covered a distance of 650km and hit a maximum altitude of 100km.