SEOUL - The Republic of Korea denounced on Monday the test launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, saying it violated United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Pyongyang's test-firing of a ballistic missile was in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and posed a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world.

The DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile from the vicinity of Wonsan, off the DPRK's east coast, according to the ROK's Joint Chiefs of Staff. It was believed to be a Scud-type missile with a range of 300 to 500 kilometers.

The missile launch on Monday marked the third such incident by the DPRK since the new ROK administration took office earlier this month. It also was the DPRK's ninth missile test-firing this year.

The Seoul ministry said the DPRK's repeated provocations flew in the face of ROK's call for peace and the denuclearization on the peninsula and defied the international community's concerted will for the denuclearization of the DPRK.

The ministry strongly denounced the missile launch, urging Pyongyang to immediately stop any provocations and rapidly get on the path toward denuclearization.

Japan said the DPRK's ballistic missile may have fallen into its exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan on Monday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Japan's top government spokesman, told a news conference there were no reports of damage to ships or aircraft in the area.

The Japanese government convened its National Security Council after the launch.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters at a briefing in his office that Japan cannot tolerate the DPRK's repeated provocations in defiance of warnings from the international community.

Abe said he would closely cooperate with the international community, including the United States and the ROK, on the latest incident. Abe called for the gathering of information on the missile launch and for steps to be taken to ensure the safety of airplanes and vessels in the area.

Tokyo stocks ended largely flat on Monday in thin trading, as - despite investors buying back on dips - the market was cautious.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped by 4.27 points, or 0.02 percent, from Friday to end the day at 19,682.57.

Xinhua