Mon Jan 06 03:51:45 UTC 2025: ## North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Amidst US-South Korea Talks
**Seoul, South Korea –** North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Monday, January 6, 2025, South Korea’s military announced. The launch occurred during a visit by outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Seoul for talks with South Korean officials. This marks Pyongyang’s first missile launch of the year, following a November test of what North Korea claimed was its most advanced solid-fuel ICBM. The previous launch came after accusations that North Korea sent troops to support Russia in the Ukraine conflict. South Korea responded to Monday’s launch with its own ballistic missile firing. The incident adds further tension to the region, which is already grappling with the ongoing political crisis in South Korea following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial declaration of martial law in December.
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