The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan (the East Sea), the South Korean military's Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. 

The Japanese Defense Ministry also confirmed this event, according to Kyodo News agency, adding that the projectile fell into waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The missile, which flew over 650 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 100 km, was fired in a northeasterly direction from DPRK's west coast at 6:52 am, the ministry added, emphasizing that no reports of damage to aircraft or vessels have been reported. 

Today's launch is the third ballistic missile test so far this year, after the solid-fuel test overseen by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un last month and another of a missile loaded with hypersonic maneuverable controlled warhead in January. 

DPRK's Kim oversaw successful test of new hypersonic missile: KCNA

The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea DPRK, Kim Jong Un, oversaw a successful ground jet test of a solid-fuel engine for a new-type intermediate-range hypersonic missile on March 20.

The new missile "is of another strategic value," state media said.

According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un said that the "military strategic value of this weapon system is seen as important as ICBMs."

Pyongyang had reportedly carried out a series of live-fire tests since last year for a new type of solid fuel engine for intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs).