North Korea today test-fired a ballistic missile, the latest in a series of launches that have ratcheted up tensions over its quest to develop weapons capable of hitting the United States. <br/><br/>The short-range missile flew for six minutes before landing in the Sea of Japan, the US Pacific Command said, adding it was working on a more detailed assessment. <br/><br/>Seoul's joint chief of staff said that the unidentified missile was fired from near the North Korean coastal city of Wonsan. <br/><br/>South Korea's new President, Moon Jae-In, has ordered a meeting of the national security council to assess the launch, Yonhap reported.<br/> <br/>Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today condemned North Korea's latest missile launch and vowed action along with other nations to deter Pyongyang's repeated provocations.