Kim Jong Un Fires Ballistic Missile After Warning Of 'Beheading Operation' From 'Enemy'

South Korea’s military said North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Thursday.

What Happened: It wasn't immediately clear whether the ballistic missile was of intermediate range or longer but it prompted Japan to issue an alert for residents on the country’s northern island of Hokkaido to take cover, reported Reuters.

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However, the authorities in Tokyo later retracted the alert, saying an emergency warning system mistakenly predicted that the missile would fall near the island.

Earlier this week, the North Korean dictator called for strengthening Pyongyang's war deterrence in a “more practical and offensive” manner to counter moves of aggression by the "Enemy."

Kim said, “Recently, the enemy openly let out even warlike words such as the ‘occupation of Pyongyang’ and ‘beheading operation’ and staged the frantic large-scale joint military drill simulating an all-out war against the DPRK.”

Why It Matters: The new launch came nearly a month after North Korea fired its biggest missile — Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) — on March 16. The Kim regime has repeatedly threatened and boasted about its nuclear capabilities.

Earlier this month, Kim warned the U.S. and South Korea that it is not making "empty talk" on its nuclear capabilities.

Meanwhile, It has been a week since North Korea is not responding to routine calls from South Korea through inter-Korean liaison and military communication lines. This has sparked concerns that the absence of regular contact could lead to provocations.

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