North Korea fired what appeared to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile, Seoul said yesterday, just days before Washington and Pyongyang were set to resume long-stalled nuclear talks. Pyongyang frequently couples diplomatic overtures with military moves, as a way of maintaining pressure on negotiating partners, analysts say, and may believe this weapons system gives it added leverage. A proven submarine-based missile capability would take the North's arsenal to a new level, allowing deployment far beyond the Korean peninsula and a second-strike capability in the event of an attack on its military bases. The missile was "believed to be one of the Pukkuksong models", the JCS said in a statement, referring to a line of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) under development by the North.