N.Korea fires missile, criticises U.S. 'hostile' policy

FILE PHOTO: A North Korean flag flies on a mast at the Permanent Mission of North Korea in Geneva October 2, 2014. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a missile towards the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, South Korea's military said, as Pyongyang repeated a call for the United States and South Korea to scrap their "hostile policy" to restart talks.

The missile was launched from the central north province of Jagang at around 6:40 a.m. (2140 GMT), the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Japan's defence ministry said it appeared to be a ballistic missile, without elaborating.