North Korea has fired yet another missile, this time a long-range one, just ahead of scheduled talks between Japan and South Korea. This missile launch is believed to be a show of defiance against both the neighboring countries ahead of the summit.

The missile was launched from the east coast of North Korea and flew over Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean. It is not yet clear if any damage was caused by the projectile.

North Korea’s missile tests have been a source of concern for Japan and South Korea, particularly given their proximity to the country. Both countries have been working to rebuild their relationship with North Korea, but these tests are making that task increasingly difficult.

The missile launch also comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol travels to Japan for discussions on security and economic cooperation. The talks were meant to improve ties between the two countries, but this latest missile test from North Korea is likely to overshadow any progress made during the meeting.

This is not the first time that North Korea has pulled a similar stunt. Just last week, the country launched what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) before South Korean and Japanese leaders were scheduled to meet in Tokyo.

These repeated missile tests from North Korea are clearly intended to disrupt the peace process in the region. It remains to be seen how Japan and South Korea will respond to this latest provocation, but it is clear that the situation in the region is far from stable.