A man watches a television news broadcast showing file footage of a missile test conducted by the DPRK, at a railway station in Seoul on Sept 15, 2021. (JUNG YEON-JE / AFP)

SEOUL/UNITED NATIONS - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired one projectile, believed to be a short-range missile, into the eastern waters, the Republic of Korea's (ROK) Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Tuesday.

The JCS said in a statement that the projectile was launched eastwards from Mupyong-ri in Jagang province of the DPRK at about 6:40 am local time (2140 GMT Monday).

It did not specify if the projectile was a ballistic missile, but the Japanese government said it appears to be a ballistic missile and splashed into waters outside its exclusive economic zone, according to Japan's Kyodo News.

The DPRK is banned from all ballistic missile activities under the UN Security Council resolutions.

An unnamed the ROK's military official was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying that the projectile was estimated to be a new type of missile, which is different in speed and altitude from other short-range missiles of the DPRK

According to the ROK's Yonhap news agency, the projectile traveled shorter than 200 km at an altitude of about 30 km. The flight distance, altitude and pattern were different from other known missiles of the DPRK.

An unnamed the ROK's military official was quoted by Yonhap as saying that the projectile was estimated to be a new type of missile, which is different in speed and altitude from other short-range missiles of the DPRK.

The JCS said the intelligence authorities of the ROK and the United States were making a precision analysis on further details of the launch.

It noted that the the ROK's military was closely monitoring relevant situations and maintaining a full readiness posture in cooperation with the United States to brace for the DPRK's possible further launch.

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The projectile launch came after the DPRK test-fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Sept 15.

The DPRK launched two cruise missiles into the western waters on Jan 22 and March 21, firing two ballistic missiles into the eastern waters on March 25. It also test-launched long-range cruise missiles on Sept 11-12.

Kim Yo-jong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said last Friday that Pyongyang is willing to hold discussions on improving inter-Korean relations if the ROK ends its hostile policies toward the DPRK.

Kim's comment was made in response to a proposal by the ROK's President Moon Jae-in, who offered a political declaration to terminate the 1950-53 Korean War during his speech at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The two Koreas are still technically at war as the fratricidal war ended with armistice, not peace treaty.

President Moon ordered a comprehensive analysis of the DPRK's missile launch and the statement of Kim, younger sister of top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, to draw up countermeasures, according to the presidential Blue House.

Top security officials held an emergency meeting of the National Security Council following the DPRK's missile launch, voicing regret over the launch, the Blue House said.

The ROK's top security officials held an emergency meeting of the National Security Council following the DPRK's missile launch, voicing regret over the launch, the Blue House said

ALSO READ: ROK: DPRK fired 2 unidentified projectiles into East Sea

Meanwhile, the DPRK's permanent representative to the United Nations on Monday denounced US hostile policy against his country, describing Washington's hostility as a "clearest expression in its military threats" against Pyongyang.

"The US hostile policy towards the DPRK is not at all abstract. It is in itself military threats and hostile acts we are facing from the US every day," Kim Song said in his address to the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

He said that the United States "has been posing nuclear threats, antagonizing the DPRK for more than 70 years," and that US troops are stationing at numerous military bases in the ROK and maintain "a war posture to take military action against the DPRK at any moment."

Kim called for the United States "to contribute to the peace and stability of the peninsula and the world by withdrawing an anachronistic, hostile policy towards the DPRK in a bold and complete manner."

He said the current US administration should prove its policy stand that "they have no hostile intent towards the DPRK" by practical actions instead of words, and it should also remove the double standards towards the DPRK.

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"If the US shows its bold decision to give up its hostile policy, we are also prepared to respond willingly at any time," Kim said.

If Washington "is really desirous of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula, it should take the first step towards giving up its hostile policy against the DPRK by stopping permanently the joint military exercises and the deployment of all kinds of strategic weapons which are leveled at the DPRK in and around the Korean Peninsula," he urged.