North Korea has conducted its first missile test in two months, launching what is believed to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) toward the sea to its east, South Korea's military reported.

The missile traveled approximately 1,100 kilometers before landing in the sea, an act the South Korean military condemned as a "clear act of provocation."

The timing of the launch coincides with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Seoul for high-level diplomatic talks. Earlier on Monday, Blinken met with acting President Choi Sang-mok, reaffirming the U.S.-South Korea alliance as a "cornerstone of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula." Analysts suggest the missile launch may be a strategic move by Pyongyang to respond to or influence these discussions.

In response, South Korea has heightened its surveillance measures to monitor for additional missile launches from the North. Military officials confirmed close collaboration with the United States and Japan to share intelligence and coordinate their response.

The missile launch comes against a backdrop of political upheaval in South Korea. Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol faces possible arrest following an attempt to impose martial law in December, a move that led to his impeachment. The Constitutional Court is currently deliberating on whether to permanently remove him from office. North Korea has previously criticized Yoon’s actions, with its state media calling his martial law declaration an "insane act" and accusing him of dictatorial behavior.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, continues to strengthen his regime’s control, leveraging a tightly managed cult of personality around his family, which has ruled the nation for decades. The international community widely views Kim’s leadership as authoritarian.

The last recorded missile activity from North Korea occurred in November, just before the U.S. presidential election, when at least seven short-range ballistic missiles were launched. That provocation followed U.S.-led trilateral military drills with South Korea and Japan, which included a long-range bomber and drew sharp criticism from Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister.

This latest missile test is expected to elicit strong international reactions, with calls for restraint and a renewed focus on regional security amid persistent concerns about North Korea’s advancing missile and nuclear programs. (ILKHA)