North Korea launches ballistic missiles towards sea

People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch at a train station in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Lee Jin-man

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles towards the sea on Sunday, its neighbours said, the North’s latest weapons testing activity this year.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches happened on Sunday morning from the North’s eastern Sinpo area. 

It said South Korea has bolstered its surveillance posture and is closely exchanging information with the US and Japan. 

South Korea’s presidential office said its National Security Council plans to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the launches.

Japan’s Defence Ministry also detected the launches, saying the weapons were believed to have landed in the waters off North Korea’s east coast. 

It said Tokyo strongly protested to Pyongyang, saying Sunday’s launches threaten regional and international peace and violated UN Security Council resolutions that ban any ballistic activities by North Korea.