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Report: North Korea Fires Short-Range Missile

by William Gallo

   SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA --

   North Korea has test fired a short-range missile, South Korea said
   Saturday, in what appears to be Pyongyang's latest small-scale
   provocation following the breakdown of nuclear talks.

   North Korea fired the missile toward the east from the eastern town of
   Wonsan just after 9 a.m. local time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of
   Staff said in a statement.

   No other details about the missile were immediately available, but a
   short-range missile would not violate international sanctions on North
   Korea's missile program.

   North Korea has not commented on the test.

   Measured escalations

   Pyongyang, which wants sanctions relief from Washington, has carried
   out a series of measured escalations since nuclear talks with the U.S.
   broke down.

   Most notably, the North said last month it conducted a test of a
   tactical guided weapon.

   North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said he will give the U.S. until
   the end of the year to become more flexible in nuclear talks.

   U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will not relax sanctions until
   North Korea commits to giving up its entire nuclear weapons program.