NORTH Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast today only days after Kim Jung-un said he would not hesitate to "annihilate" his neighbour.

       South Korea’s military has slammed the provocative launch - the first of 2024.

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       It was the pariah state's first missile test of the year Credit: Reuters 5

       People watch a television screen showing file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul Credit: AFP

       "Our military detected one suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile launched from the Pyongyang area towards the East Sea around at 14:55," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

       They did not say how far the deadly weapon had flown, but Japan's coast guard said it fell just outside of its exclusive economic zone.

       Tensions are running high on the peninsula as leader Kim Jong-un has been stepping up pressure on Seoul declaring it the "principal enemy" in recent days.

       He threatened to "annihilate" it if provoked and vowed to enhance his country's ability to deliver a nuclear strike on the US and America's allies in the Pacific.

       read more on north korea DEFCON-UN Kim Jong-un threatens WAR as he will not hesitate to ‘annihilate’ South Korea

       FIRE & FURY North Korea vows to strike 'if enemy sets one foot wrong' amid border drills

       Only last week, Kim's sister - Kim Yo-Jong - pledged to unleash an "immediate military strike" on South Korea over the "slightest provocation".

       The close ally of the dictator said North Korea wouldn't hesitate to attack its "enemy" as tensions explode on the border.

       It came only days after im North Korea fired a barrage of artillery shells near the tense sea border with South Korea, prompting Seoul to conduct similar firing exercises in the same area.

       It was dubbed the biggest escalation between the two Korean states in recent years.

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       The site is where the navies of the two Korea's have fought three bloody sea battles since 1999 and attacks blamed on North Korea killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.

       Experts say that Kim is trying to stoke up anger by conducting more missile tests and possibly launching small-scale physical attacks on its neighbour to meddle with South Korea' s elections in April.

       Pyongyang's isolated government is also forging closer ties with Moscow and it attempts to solidify its position in the growing anti-Western axis of evil.

       North Korea's foreign minister will visit China this week just as Washington led a chorus of condemnation over Kim's transfers of weapons for Moscow to use against Ukraine.

       On December 29 and January 2, Russia used North Korean missiles to blitz Ukraine for the first time, leaving at least 50 people dead.

       UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The world turned its back on Russia, forcing Putin into the humiliation of going to North Korea to keep his illegal invasion going.”

       Moscow and Pyongyang have denied conducting any arms deals but vowed in September to deepen military relations and to fight a "sacred" battle against the West.

       On Thursday, the US imposed sanctions targeting Russian entities aiding the transfer of North Korean ballistic missiles to be potentially used against Ukraine.

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       Kim is seeking to forge close ties with Russia and establish arms deals Credit: AP 5

       The dictator meets with his military commanders on New Year's day Credit: Reuters 5

       Putin has been getting cosy with Kim Jong-un as the West fears North Korea is handing Russia ballistic missiles to use against Ukraine