SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles into sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, the first launches in more than two months as North Korean and U.S. officials work to restart nuclear diplomacy.The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles fired from the eastern coastal town of Wonsan flew 430 kilometers (267 miles).It wasn't immediately known what type of projectiles North Korea fired. But in the past, such launches have involved missiles or artillery.The joint chiefs said South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing details of the launches.Thursday's launches came as the North was ramping up pressure on the United States ahead of the possible resumption of nuclear diplomacy.During a third summit at the Korean border late last month, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to resume nuclear negotiations, which had been deadlocked since their second summit in Vietnam in February ended without any agreement due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions.North Korea said last week it may lift its 20-month suspension of nuclear and missile tests to protest expected military drills between the United States and South Korea that Pyongyang says are an invasion rehearsal.On Tuesday, North Korean state media said Kim inspected a newly built submarine and ordered officials to further bolster the country's military capabilities. </s> North Korea fired an "unidentified projectile" on Thursday afternoon, a South Korean military official said.

It's the second time in a week that North Korea has apparently conducted a launch.

The projectile was fired "towards eastern direction from Sinori area located in Northern Pyongan Province" about 4:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET), the South Korean military official said. </s> SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's military said Sunday that North Korea fired a projectile into its eastern sea, a likely effort to advance its weapons program while also challenging the young Trump administration in Washington.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the projectile was fired from an area in the country's western region around Banghyon, North Pyongan Province, which is where South Korean officials have said the country test launched its powerful midrange missile Musudan on Oct. 15 and 20.

An official from Seoul's Defense Ministry says it isn't clear whether the projectile was a ballistic missile. The official didn't want to be named, citing office rules.

The North conducted two nuclear tests and a slew of rocket launches last year in continued efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Kim Dong-yeop, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, said that the projectile could be a Musudan or a similar rocket designed to test engines for an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in his annual New Year's address that the North's preparations for launching an intercontinental ballistic missile have "reached the final stage." </s> North Korea fired an unidentified projectile on Thursday, the South's military chiefs said, less than a week after its leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of multiple rockets and a missile.

The projectile was fired at about 4:30 p.m. (0730 GMT) from the northwest location of Sino-ri, towards the east, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. It did not immediately release further details.

Last week North Korea launched a number of rockets and at least one short-range missile from its east coast into the ocean, sharply raising tension on the Korean peninsula at a time of stalemate in talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

On Wednesday North Korea lashed out at the United States and South Korea, saying last week's strike drill was "regular and self-defensive" and rejecting the notion that it was an act of provocation.

South Korea responded to last week's action by the North by calling for an end to acts that escalate military tension.

The area where Thursday's projectile was launched is believed to be the site of a medium-range Rodong missile base on North Korea's east coast, a Washington-based think tank, the Center for Stratetic International Studies, says.

Saturday's launch of a short-range missile from another east coast area was the North's first test of a ballistic missile since it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017.

At that time, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared its nuclear force was complete and extended an olive branch to the South and the United States, holding two summit meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and three with the South Korean leader. </s> S. Korea: North Test-Fires Handful Of 'Unknown Projectiles' Into Japan Waters

Enlarge this image toggle caption Kim Won-Jin/AFP/Getty Images Kim Won-Jin/AFP/Getty Images

South Korea's military says North Korea has test-fired a handful of "unknown projectiles" off its west coast into its east coast waters, further rattling an already uncertain situation on the Korean peninsula under ongoing political drift in Seoul and a new American administration.

The projectiles were launched from near one of the North's known missile bases of Tongchang-ri at 7:36 a.m. local time, or 5:36 p.m. Sunday (EST). South Korea believes at least one of the missiles flew 1,000 km, or about 620 miles. That's twice the distance as the North's most recent missile test, in February.

"North Korea has ignored South Korea and the international community's constant warnings," said Hwang Kyo-ahn, South Korea's acting president, in a statement. "This shows the North's nuclear and missile provocations are a real and imminent threat to our people's safety."

Japan's government says it counted four missiles landing in the Sea of Japan, the body of water between Korea and Japan. It says three of them fell in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

"Launching missiles at this time shows clearly that North Korea has become a new menace for Japan," said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, before saying he will head to a meeting of the Japanese National Security Council later today.

The U.S. military also said it detected the launch. U.S. Strategic Command spokesman Lt. Col. Martin O'Donnell said U.S. forces "remain vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and are fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security."

These missile tests are banned by the U.N. Security Council, but North Korea frequently flouts the rules. Monday's test marks the second such firing of 2017. Last year, it fired missiles 24 times, launched a rocket (largely viewed as a trial for an intercontinental ballistic missile) in February and tested nuclear devices twice.

Longtime military analyst Daniel Pinkston, lecturer in international relations at Troy University, says he is concerned not only by the missile tests but also the recent assassination of leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother in Malaysia, using a banned nerve agent. Malaysian authorities blame North Korea for his death.

"If they don't pay a price for this behavior," Pinkston said, "and I think they should pay a high price, then they will continue with it."

The latest test comes against a backdrop that's both routine — annual March military drills staged by the U.S. and South Korea that Pyongyang sees as war prep — and unfamiliar. The new Trump administration's policy on North Korea is unclear, at best, and South Korea is in a leadership vacuum as an acting president runs day-to-day affairs in the country. The elected president, Park Geun-hye, was impeached by lawmakers on Dec. 9 and stripped of her powers. Whether she keeps her job is up to a court to decide, likely before the end of this month.

Jihye Lee contributed to this post from Seoul. Akane Saiki contributed from Tokyo. </s> Baku. 29 March. REPORT.AZ/ South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the projectiles were launched from the city of Hamhung, in northeastern North Korea, and traveled approximately 125 miles before landing in the water, Report informs referring to the Russian TASS.

The launches came in the wake of ongoing annual South Korean-US military drills that it sees as an invasion rehearsal. The U.N. Security Council last Friday "strongly condemned and expressed grave concern" at that launch along with those of two short-range missiles on March 10, calling them a violation of past U.N. resolutions.

Hours after the UN's decision, North Korea launched short-range projectiles into the Sea of Japan. In a closed door meeting called by the United States, the UN Council discussed the two medium-ranged ballistic missiles that North Korea recently released. Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun here confirmed that the site at Pyungye-ri, North Hamgyong Province is being maintained "in a condition that allows another nuclear test to be conducted at short notice".

South Korean military are trying to determine the types of a missile and projectiles fired by the North Monday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing sources. In addition to that, Obama had also signed other unilateral USA measures.

Meanwhile, North Korea claims to be testing a re-entry vehicle aimed at returning a nuclear warhead to the atmosphere from space so it could hit its intended target. </s> North Korea has fired a projectile into the Sea of Japan, which is also known as the East Sea, according to a South Korean Defense Ministry official.

The object was fired from the Tongchang-ri, in the country’s North Pyongan province, early Monday local time, the official said.

South Korea and the United States are currently holding their annual military exercises, known as Foal Eagle.

North Korea has already denounced this year’s exercises through state media service KCNA.

“Now that the US imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces again kicked off the dangerous nuclear war drills against the DPRK at its doorstep, our army will counter them with the toughest counteractions,” it said.

The exercises usually draw condemnation and retribution from Pyongyang.

During last year’s drills, North Korea fired multiple short to medium range missiles and announced it could place nuclear warheads on its weapons.

The firing also comes a day after Seoul quadrupled the award for North Korean defectors and nearly a month after North Korea test-fired a new type of missile, the Pukguksong-2, a medium-long range ballistic missile.

That missile was also fired from North Pyongan province and traveled 500 kilometers (310 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan.

The launch happened while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in the United States visiting US President Donald Trump. </s> SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — The South Korean news agency says North Korea fired an unidentified missile on Tuesday.

Yonhap said the missile was fired into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.

North Korea has conducted a series of test launches to develop its missile capability and recently threatened to send missiles over western Japan and into waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

Japan’s military is practicing deploying anti-missile batteries at three U.S. bases in Japan.

The U.S. military says the drills will test the ability of Japanese and U.S. forces to work together and assess firing locations at the bases. They will also allow Japan to practice rapid deployment of its PAC-3 anti-missile system. </s> SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired several short-range projectiles from its east coast on Saturday, South Korea’s military said, as analysts said the country is stepping up pressure against the United States after February’s failed nuclear summit in Bangkok.

The South Korean military initially described it as a missile launch, but subsequently gave a more vague description.

If the unidentified projectiles were missiles, it would be the first missile launch since the North fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017. Soon after that missile test, the North declared that its nuclear force was complete, after which Pyongyang extended an olive branch to the South and the United States.

In Saturday’s statement South Korea’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired several unidentified short-range projectiles from north of the city of Wonsan around 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) which flew about 70 kms to 200 kms (44-124 miles).

In an earlier message, South Korea’s military command had said the North fired an “unidentified short-range missile”.

The South Korean military said it was conducting joint analysis with the United States of the latest launches.

Surveillance and vigilance has been stepped up in preparation for any further launches by North Korea, and the South Korean military maintains readiness and is cooperating with the United States, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff added.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, has vowed to no longer test nuclear weapons or ICBMs, but the North has conducted other weapons tests since then.

The latest firing, coming after the North’s test of what it called a tactical guided weapons system in April, added to the pressure Pyongyang has sought to exert on the United States to give ground in negotiations to end the North’s nuclear programme.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, “We are aware of North Korea’s actions tonight. We will continue to monitor as necessary.”

A Pentagon press officer said in response to a Reuters request for comment: “We aren’t able to confirm anything at the moment, we are looking in to it.”

South Korea’s presidential Blue House is “analysing the situation,” a Blue House official said without elaborating.

“There were reports of a missile launch by North Korea, but we have not confirmed the entry of any ballistic missile into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. At this point, we have not confirmed any situation where Japan’s national security would immediately be affected.” Japan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Analysts said that no matter what type of projectile was fired, the timing of North Korea’s action would send a message to the United States.

“It is an expression of the North’s frustration over stalled talks with the United States. It is a message that it could return to the previous confrontational mode if there is no breakthrough in the stalemate,” said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum.

“It also seems clear that North Korea is angry over what appears to be a lack of flexibility in the Trump administration’s position on relieving sanctions, sticking to a policy of ‘maximum pressure’,” said Harry Kazianis at the Center for the National Interest, a think-tank.

Kim has held two summit meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump, the second in February in Vietnam, but the two failed to make progress on ending the North’s nuclear programme due to disagreement on weapons dismantlement and sanctions relief.
The South Korean military claims that North Korean military has launched an "unidentified projectile" into the sea, marking the second time North Korea has conducted a weapons test in a single week.