( 3 rd LD ) N . Korea fires ballistic missile : S . Korea ( ATTN : RECASTS lead ; UPDATES throughout with JCS ' s confirmation ) SEOUL , April 5 ( Yonhap ) -- North Korea launched a ballistic missile Wednesday into the East Sea , South Korea ' s military said , as the country ' s presidential office convened an emergency National Security Council ( NSC ) meeting to discuss the provocation . " North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea from a site in the vicinity of Sinpo , South Hamgyong Province , at around 6 : 42 a . m . ," the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS ) said . The projectile flew about 60 kilometers , and South Korea and the United States are analyzing additional information , it added , with the exact type of the projectile not confirmed yet . They added it was fired from the ground , not under the water . The North sometimes launches missiles from submarines near the Sinpo region . The North ' s move came ahead of summit talks between U . S . President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this week . Two weeks ago , the North test - fired a missile , which ended in failure . The NSC meeting will open at 8 : 30 a . m . , presided over by Kim Kwan - jin , the national security adviser to Acting President Hwang Kyo - han . Hwang ordered the nation ' s troops to strengthen their combat readiness in case of a contingency . lcd @ yna . co . kr odissy @ yna . co . kr ( END )