North Korea has fired a
ballistic missile into the sea, South Korean and US officials say.
They say the missile, launched
off the east coast, flew about 800km (500 miles) and fell into the water. North
Korea has not commented on the report.
A US defence spokesperson later
said a second missile was launched.
US President Barack Obama
earlier imposed new sanctions on North Korea, after its recent
"illicit" nuclear test and satellite launch.
His executive order freezes
North Korean government property in the United States. It bans US exports to -
or investment in - North Korea and also greatly expands powers to blacklist
anyone, including non-Americans, dealing with North Korea.
The 6 January nuclear test and
7 February satellite launch were violations of existing UN sanctions.
South Korea's Yonhap news
agency also cited unnamed sources saying a second missile was detected but it
may have disintegrated in mid-air.
They appeared to be
medium-range Rodong missiles fired from road-mobile launch vehicles.
With a maximum range of
1,300km, the Rodong would have the capability to reach all of South Korea and
parts of Japan.
Lt Col Michelle Baldanza, from
the US defence press office said after the latest launch: "We call on
North Korea to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the
region."
Amid the heightened tensions,
the North sentenced a US student to 15 years hard labour on Wednesday for
"severe crimes" against the state.
The US demanded North Korea
immediately release Otto Warmbier, 21, who was arrested for trying to
steal a propaganda sign from a hotel while on a visit in January.
The US and South Korea are also
holding their biggest annual military drills this month, which routinely
generate tension.
But this year North Korea
threatened to launch a "pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice"
against the US and South Korea.