North Korea has fired an unidentified ballistic missile into its eastern waters, China's Xinhua news agency reported South Korea's defence ministry as saying on Tuesday.

A defence ministry official told Xinhua that the DPRK fired off the ballistic missile into the East Sea from an area near Banghyeon, North Pyongan province in North Korea’s north-west region at about 9.40 am local time (0040 GMT).

The missile launch was immediately reported to President Moon Jae-in, the official said.

The military authorities of South Korea and the United States were jointly analysing the type and range of the North Korea missile, according to local media reports.

In their initial analysis, the missile launch was reportedly successful.

Citing Japanese media reports, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the North Korea missile may have landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Pyongyang test-launched ground-to-ship cruise missiles on June 8 from Wonsan area in the country's eastern region.

North Korea's Tuesday firing of the ballistic missile followed South Korean President Moon's first summit meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington for two days from June 29.

President Moon has ordered the convening of the national security council meeting of the presidential Blue House, where cabinet members and senior presidential secretaries in charge of security and foreign affairs gather to discuss security issues. 

-- Bernama