Three days prior to the South Korean presidential election, Yoon Suk-yeol was inaugurated, a missile from North Korea was fired on Saturday.

South Korean military claimed that North Korea fired a small-range missile thought to be a submarine-launched balistic missile (SLBM), in the sea offshore its east coast on Saturday at 0507 GMT. This was around Sinpo. North Korea maintains submarines as well equipment for firing SLBMs.

Japan’s Defense Ministry tweeted that the projectile might be a ballistic-missile. According to information from Japan’s Ministry of Defense, it had already fallen. Japan’s Coast Guard stated that the incident occurred around 0525 GMT.

NHK Japan, Japan’s national broadcaster, reported that the projectile had landed in an area outside Japan’s exclusive economy zone. They also cited government sources.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile at the sea near its east coast on Wednesday. Japan and South Korea confirmed the incident after Pyongyang pledged to “develop its nuclear force as quickly as possible.”

United States officials believed that North Korea had begun preparations for its Punggyeri nuclear testing site. They could conduct an experiment there in the next month.

“The Kim regime is preparing for a tactical nuclear weapons test instead of accepting invitations for dialogue,” said Leif-Eric Easley. Leif Eric Easley from Ewha University, Seoul said that the timing of this will be determined by when underground tunnels are completed and modified technology is available.

“A seventh nuclear weapon test, the first since September 2017, would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula and create miscalculations and miscommunications between Kim’s regime and the Yoon government.”

Yoon will take office Tuesday. American President Joe Biden will visit South Korea to meet with Yoon on Tuesday, May 21.