N. Korea fires ballistic missile amid tensions over DMZ mine blast

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Saturday, South Korea's military said, as tensions heightened over a recent mine blast along the inter-Korean border that injured three South Korean soldiers. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch at about 6:30 a.m. from the Wonsan area, without elaborating on the type of missile launched. The missile flew over 700 kilometers before landing at sea, the JCS said, adding it is analyzing the exact specifications of the launch with the U.S. side. South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities had tracked the launch since its early stage and shared relevant information, the JCS said in a notice. "Our military is closely monitoring various movements by the North under a robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond decisively to any provocations," it added. While the military did not specify the type of missile, it is reportedly analyzing its specifications while leaving open the possibility that it may have been a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) or