North Korea Fires a Ballistic Missile, in Further Challenge to Trump

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday morning for the first time in more than two months, defying demands from President Trump to halt its weapons programs and raising the stakes in an increasingly tense standoff with the United States and its allies.

“North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, at dawn today,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Pyongsong, in western North Korea, is about 20 miles northeast of Pyongyang, the capital.

The launch was also confirmed by the Japanese prime minister’s office.

The launching came as North Korea has increased the frequency and daring of its missile tests, sending two missiles over Japan in August and September, while showing technical progress that suggested it had developed the ability to strike the continental United States.

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