SEOUL, South Korea: North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities. The launch came just days before major joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, drills that Pyongyang has repeatedly criticized.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the Wonsan area at around 6 a.m. local time. The launch took place only six days after North Korea fired another ballistic missile from the same region.

The latest test came ahead of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which South Korea and the United States are scheduled to hold from August 17 to August 27. The drills are designed to strengthen the allies' ability to respond to North Korea's growing nuclear and missile capabilities.

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said the latest launch may have been part of North Korea's existing weapons development program. However, he also suggested that the timing may have been chosen to send a political message ahead of the military exercises.

"Even if it was a test of a weapon under development, choosing when to conduct it requires a political decision," Hong said.

North Korea had not issued an immediate statement about the missile launch from Wonsan. However, Pyongyang criticized South Korea and Japan's nuclear ambitions on the afternoon of August 12.

South Korea said North Korea had also launched a ballistic missile from Wonsan on August 6. North Korean state media did not report that earlier launch. Hong said the lack of a report could indicate that the test failed to achieve its intended goal.

North Korea has carried out several weapons tests this year. These have included short-range ballistic missiles, artillery rockets and other tactical weapons. South Korea assessed the launch on August 12 as North Korea's 11th suspected ballistic missile test of 2026.

South Korean and Japanese defense authorities said the missile traveled around 700 kilometers, or about 435 miles, before landing in the sea.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately classify the weapon as a short-range ballistic missile. Officials said they would carry out a more detailed examination of the launch and the missile's characteristics.

The decision not to identify the missile type immediately has left analysts uncertain about what weapon North Korea tested. Missiles traveling between 300 and 1,000 kilometers are generally considered short-range ballistic missiles.

Hong said the missile's reported distance, flight path and launch location could indicate that it was a type of hypersonic missile. He also said the possibility of a submarine-launched missile could not be ruled out.

Both South Korea and Japan condemned the launch.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan had formally protested to North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing. He added that Tokyo strongly condemned the missile launch.

South Korea's Office of National Security held an emergency meeting following the latest test. Officials expressed concern over North Korea's continued missile launches, particularly after the August 6 test. They called on Pyongyang to stop actions that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The South Korean military said it remained prepared to respond strongly to any further provocation. It said its forces were maintaining a combined defense posture with the United States and were ready to respond "overwhelmingly" if necessary.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it was working closely with South Korea, Japan and other allies and partners following the launch. Its initial assessment was that the missile did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, American territory or the country's allies.