North Korea stages 3rd missile test in 3 weeks

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North Korea launched a ballistic missile test Monday, its third in a little over three weeks. The short-range ballistic missile traveled an estimated 248 miles, splashing down within Japan's exclusive economic zone, an area of sea where commercial ships are known to operate, according to statements from both the Japanese government and the South Korean military. South Korea and Japan immediately issued strong protests, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promising "concrete action" in response to the test, and South Korean defense chiefs saying the North would face "strong punishment from our military." What it's really like to be inside North Korea What it's really like to be inside North Korea 01:40 North Korea has fired 12 missiles during nine tests so far in 2017 Analysts say all of North Korea's tests, successful or not, provide information that help bring it closer to its goal of building a missile that could reach the US. That the missile landed within 200 nautical miles of the Japanese coast was an "extremely problematic act for the safety of airplanes and ships" Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a statement. The launch, read the statement, "is clearly violating the UN resolution. The repeated provocative acts by North Korea is absolutely not acceptable." The Japanese Prime Minister said a "firm protest" was lodged with North Korea and that Tokyo would take action "together with the United States." Analysts say Japan's options for dealing with North Korea unilaterally are limited. That the missile landed within 200 nautical miles of the Japanese coast was an "extremely problematic act for the safety of airplanes and ships" Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a statement. The launch, read the statement, "is clearly violating the UN resolution. The repeated provocative acts by North Korea is absolutely not acceptable." The Japanese Prime Minister said a "firm protest" was lodged with North Korea and that Tokyo would take action "together with the United States." Analysts say Japan's options for dealing with North Korea unilaterally are limited.

North Korea stages 3rd missile test in 3 weeks Brad Lendon-Profile-Image By Brad Lendon, CNN Updated 0904 GMT (1704 HKT) May 29, 2017 north korea nuclear deal iran us todd dnt tsr _00000000 Now Playing How much damage can... Sean Spicer WHB Spicer defends Trump's praise of NK leader Trump: I'd be honored to meet Kim Jong Un Secretary Kelly's interview with Jake Tapper NK missile launch images from Rodong Sinmun North Korea claims missile can strike US This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 26, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending the combined fire demonstration of the services of the Korean People's Army in celebration of its 85th founding anniversary at the airport of eastern front. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) N. Korea: US accountable if war breaks out This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 26, 2017 shows the combined fire demonstration of the services of the Korean People's Army in celebration of its 85th founding anniversary at the airport of eastern front. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) NK: Military drill a response to US aggression North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un guides live fire drills in Wonsan, North Korea, to mark the 85th anniversary of the Korean Peopleís Armyís founding, according to North Korean State Media. N. Korea holds large-scale artillery drill abe concrete action north korea vanier live_00002208.jpg Japan vows action after N. Korea missle test Now Playing How much damage can North Korea's weapons do? North Korean university students carry balloons as they gather at the Ryomyong residential area, a collection of more than a dozen apartment buildings, to attend its official opening ceremony on Thursday, April 13, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) What it's really like to be inside North Korea How the Kim dynasty has shaped North Korea north korea missle launch japan hancocks mckenzie live_00001806.jpg North Korea fires another ballistic missile Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Anatoly Bibilov (not pictured), the leader of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on May 2, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Alexander Zemlianichenko (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AFP/Getty Images) Putin concerned about N. Korea missile launch North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) arrives flanked by vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission Choe Yong-Hae (L) at an opening ceremony for 'Rymoyong street', a new housing development in Pyongyang, on April 13, 2017. With thousands of adoring North Koreans looking on -- along with invited international media -- Kim Jong-Un opened a prestige housing project as he seeks to burnish his nation's image even as concerns over its nuclear capabilities soar. / AFP PHOTO / ED JONES (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) Graham: Kim makes Assad look like a choir boy Sean Spicer WHB Spicer defends Trump's praise of NK leader Trump: I'd be honored to meet Kim Jong Un Secretary Kelly's interview with Jake Tapper NK missile launch images from Rodong Sinmun North Korea claims missile can strike US This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 26, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending the combined fire demonstration of the services of the Korean People's Army in celebration of its 85th founding anniversary at the airport of eastern front. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) N. Korea: US accountable if war breaks out This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 26, 2017 shows the combined fire demonstration of the services of the Korean People's Army in celebration of its 85th founding anniversary at the airport of eastern front. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. / (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) NK: Military drill a response to US aggression North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un guides live fire drills in Wonsan, North Korea, to mark the 85th anniversary of the Korean Peopleís Armyís founding, according to North Korean State Media. N. Korea holds large-scale artillery drill abe concrete action north korea vanier live_00002208.jpg Japan vows action after N. Korea missle test How much damage can North Korea's weapons do? North Korean university students carry balloons as they gather at the Ryomyong residential area, a collection of more than a dozen apartment buildings, to attend its official opening ceremony on Thursday, April 13, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) What it's really like to be inside North Korea How the Kim dynasty has shaped North Korea north korea missle launch japan hancocks mckenzie live_00001806.jpg North Korea fires another ballistic missile Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Anatoly Bibilov (not pictured), the leader of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on May 2, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Alexander Zemlianichenko (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AFP/Getty Images) Putin concerned about N. Korea missile launch North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) arrives flanked by vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission Choe Yong-Hae (L) at an opening ceremony for 'Rymoyong street', a new housing development in Pyongyang, on April 13, 2017. With thousands of adoring North Koreans looking on -- along with invited international media -- Kim Jong-Un opened a prestige housing project as he seeks to burnish his nation's image even as concerns over its nuclear capabilities soar. / AFP PHOTO / ED JONES (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) Graham: Kim makes Assad look like a choir boy Story highlights Missile was fired at 5:39 a.m. from an area near Wonsan, Kangwon province, South Korea says Japan says it's ready to take "concrete action" in conjunction with US (CNN)North Korea launched a ballistic missile test Monday, its third in a little over three weeks. The short-range ballistic missile traveled an estimated 248 miles, splashing down within Japan's exclusive economic zone, an area of sea where commercial ships are known to operate, according to statements from both the Japanese government and the South Korean military. South Korea and Japan immediately issued strong protests, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promising "concrete action" in response to the test, and South Korean defense chiefs saying the North would face "strong punishment from our military." What it's really like to be inside North Korea What it's really like to be inside North Korea 01:40 North Korea has fired 12 missiles during nine tests so far in 2017 -- this compares with 10 missile launches in the same time period in 2016. Analysts say all of North Korea's tests, successful or not, provide information that help bring it closer to its goal of building a missile that could reach the US. Related: North Korea's missile program: What you need to know That the missile landed within 200 nautical miles of the Japanese coast was an "extremely problematic act for the safety of airplanes and ships" Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a statement. The launch, read the statement, "is clearly violating the UN resolution. The repeated provocative acts by North Korea is absolutely not acceptable." The Japanese Prime Minister said a "firm protest" was lodged with North Korea and that Tokyo would take action "together with the United States." Analysts say Japan's options for dealing with North Korea unilaterally are limited. Tokyo couldn't carry out a military response alone, said Carl Schuster, a Hawaii Pacific University professor and former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center. "Japan lacks the ballistic missiles, intelligence, targeting and reconnaissance assets, or electronic warfare and air defense suppression capability required to carry out any effective military response," Schuster said. However, Japan could do some things that might hurt North Korea economically, he said, such as stopping and searching North Korean merchant and fishing vessels in Japanese waters. No red lines The government of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took office in early May and who has advocated dialogue with the North, condemned Monday's launch. "It is a severe threat to the peace and stability of not only the Korean Peninsula, but also the international community," said a statement from South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Since our new government took office, North Korea has been frequently and repeatedly conducting provocation in such manner. This is in direct opposition to our demands in regards to the denuclearization and peace of the Korean Peninsula." "North Korea's continuous provocative actions will cause its own isolation and it will be facing strong punishment from our military, South Korea and US alliance and the international community," a statement from South Korea's Joint Chiefs said. Despite that rhetoric, the allies have not given North Korea any "red lines" which it cannot cross or face a military strike, said Adam Mount, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. "If they're not clear on what they are attempting to deter, they're not going to have the effect they desire," Mount said. Even if a military response was considered, the repercussions could be catastrophic. "If this goes to a military solution, it is going to be tragic on an unbelievable scale," US Defense Secretary James Mattis said earlier this month. Any pre-emptive military strike on North Korea would put South Korean and Japanese civilian populations, as well as US military installations within those countries, at risk for a North Korean counterstrike. Some estimates put 25 million civilians at risk in the Seoul metropolitan area alone.