<span style="color: #222222;">North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the sea, South Korea's defence minister has said.<br />'' <br />''The launch was first reported by the Japanese coast guard early on Wednesday, before being confirmed by defence authorities in Seoul later.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The UN prohibits North Korea from ballistic and nuclear weapons tests. This is the first missile launch by Pyongyang after leader Kim Jong-Un pledged to bolster the country's defence capabilities last month.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' South Korean and US intelligence are closely analysing for further detail, the Seoul's Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Japan's defence minister Nobuo Kishi said the ballistic missile had flown about 500 km, according to a news agency.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' In 2017, North Korea tested the Hwasong-15, a missile that peaked at an estimated altitude of 4,500km, putting US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam well within striking distance.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the latest launch very regrettable, pointing to North Korea's repeated testing of missiles since 2021.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' In 2021, North Korea continued the advancement of its weapons programme, conducting what state media reported as the testing of a new hypersonic missile, as well as a train-based ballistic missile and a new long-range cruise missile.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Ballistic missiles are considered more threatening than cruise missiles because they can carry more powerful payloads, have a longer range and can fly faster.<br />'' The tests come as Pyongyang struggles with food shortages due to a coronavirus blockade that has affected its economy.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' At the end-of-year meeting, Mr Kim said the country was facing a great life-and-death struggle, adding that increasing development and improving people's living standards were among this year's goals.<br />''<br />''United Nations officials had earlier warned that vulnerable children and elderly people in North Korea were at risk of starvation.</span>