Seoul says North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — rth Korea on Thursday fired an unidentified projectile, South Korea’s military said, three days after rth said its troops conducted artillery drills near its disputed sea boundary with South Korea.

A brief statement Thursday from Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff gave furr details, such as what kind of projectile was launched and where it landed.

In past, such reports by South Korea about rth Korean launches have turned out to be test launches of missiles, artillery pieces and or weapons. Late last month, rth Korea conducted what it called a test-firing of a new “super-large” multiple rocket launcher, a day after South Korea’s military said rth fired two projectiles into its eastern waters.

On Monday, rth Korea said its leer, Kim Jong Un, visited a front-line islet and ordered artillery troops re to practice firing near sea boundary, scene of several bloody naval clashes between Koreas in past years. South Korea immediately protested against drills, saying y violated an agreement last year aimed at lowering military animosity.

latest launch came amid a stalemate in U.S.-led diplomacy on ending rth Korean nuclear crisis.

In recent weeks, rth Korea has been stepping up pressure on U.S. to meet a year-end deline set by rth to offer a new initiative to salv nuclear diplomacy. Some experts say rth Korea may resume testing long-range missiles and nuclear devices if United States fails to meet deline.

nuclear negotiations broke down in February when U.S. President Donald Trump rejected rth Korean leer Kim Jong Un’s demands for major sanctions relief in return for partial disarmament.