SEOUL, Aug 30 — North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile today, Japan’s defence ministry and South Korea’s military said, hours after the United States separately deployed B-1B bombers for allied air drills.

No further information was immediately available.

The launch comes as South Korea and the United States prepare to wrap up 11 days of combined military drills, which Pyongyang has denounced.

The B-1B bombers conducted separate air drills with warplanes from South Korea and Japan earlier today.

North Korea’s ballistic missiles are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions that have imposed strict sanctions on the nuclear-armed country. — Reuters