North Korea on Wednesday performed its second ballistic missile test in less than a week, its neighbors said, a likely protest of the upcoming South Korea-U.S. military drills.

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, the militaries of Seoul and Tokyo said, its second such launch in less than a week as the United States and South Korea gear up to kick off their major summertime joint military drill.

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, the militaries of Seoul and Tokyo said, its second such launch in less than a week as the United States and South Korea gear up to kick off their major summertime joint military drill.

North Korea launches a ballistic missile ahead of U.S.-South Korean military drills, escalating tensions in the region.

The suspected ballistic missile was launched towards Japan and likely fell just outside of its special economic zone, Tokyo said.

North Korea's second ballistic missile launch in less than a week comes as the U.S. and South Korea prepare for Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises.

North Korea's second ballistic missile launch in less than a week comes as the U.S. and South Korea prepare for Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises.

North Korea fired another ballistic missile as South Korea and the United States prepared joint drills. The launch renewed regional alarm over Pyongyang's pattern of protesting allied exercises with weapons tests.

The ballistic missile launch comes as South Korea and the US plan to conduct major joint military drills to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities.

The ballistic missile launch comes as South Korea and the US plan to conduct major joint military drills to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities.

South Korea says North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward the sea, the second such weapons testing activity by North Korea in less than a week.