SEOUL — North Korea fired an apparent ballistic missile into waters off its east coast Tuesday, Japanese and South Korean officials said.

       The suspected launch marks Pyongyang’s second weapons test in less than a week and came as the United Nations Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss what U.S. diplomats said was a growing threat.

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       The projectile landed in waters east of the Korean Peninsula and outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, the Kyodo news agency reported Tuesday, citing government sources. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the repeated missile tests were “extremely regrettable.”

       The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff released a statement saying the country’s military was “closely monitoring” the situation “in close cooperation with the United States.”

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       North Korea said last week that it had successfully tested a “hypersonic gliding warhead,” hitting a precise target some 700 kilometers (435 miles) away.

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       South Korean military officials called the claim an exaggeration. But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has in recent months stepped up his push to acquire a more sophisticated weapons arsenal, as nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang remain deadlocked.

       Earlier Monday, the United States, Japan and several other Security Council members released a joint statement condemning last week’s launch, calling it a “clear violation” of multiple resolutions.

       “This launch is the latest in a series of ballistic missile launches and shows the DPRK’s determination to expand its unlawful weapons capabilities,” the statement said. “These actions increase the risk of miscalculation and escalation and pose a significant threat to regional stability.”

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