North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern coasts on Wednesday that

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern coasts on Wednesday, the second launch by the country in less than a week and coinciding with the readiness of the United States and South Korea for their annual exercises. Pyongyang calls the exercises “war drills.”

Based on a statement by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the projectile was launched from the Wonsan area on the country’s eastern coast, flew about 690 kilometers, and reached an altitude of 90 kilometers.

The South Korean presidential office held an emergency security meeting and urged North Korea to end provocative actions that violate UN Security Council resolutions.

The launch followed after Japan for the first time tested the U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile from a warship.