North Korea fires two missiles shortly after US-South Korea drills conclude

North Korea fires two missiles shortly after US-South Korea drills conclude

North Korea has fired two short range missiles toward its eastern coast hours after the U.S. military concluded military training exercises with South Korea.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement they detected the two missiles launched between 1:48 a.m. and 1:58 a.m. on Sunday from North Korea’s eastern coastal city of Munchon.

The Joint Chiefs said South Korea’s military has boosted its surveillance posture and maintains a readiness in close coordination with the United States.

The Japanese government also said North Korea fired what were possible ballistic missiles.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends at a meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea on Feb. 28, 2022.
(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed officials to do their utmost to gather and analyze information about the suspected launches and inform the public of any accurate information quickly, while ensuring the safety of aircraft and ships around Japan and preparing for any contingencies, according to his office.

The missile launch was the seventh round of weapons tests Kim Jong Un’s regime has set off in the last two weeks and came hours after the United States and South Korea finished a new round of naval drills off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast.

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This photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what it says is a test-fire of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at an undisclosed location in North Korea on March 24, 2022.
(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

The drills involved the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group, which returned to the area after North Korea fired a powerful missile over Japan last week to protest the carrier group’s previous training with South Korea.

The ballistic missile that soared over Japan and crashed into the sea prompted the Japanese to issue a warning to residents to take cover.

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This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says a test launch of a hypersonic missile on Jan. 11, 2022, in North Korea.
((Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP))

“North Korea’s series of actions, including its repeated ballistic missile launches, threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community, and poses a serious challenge to the entire international community, including Japan,” Japanese government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno said in a brief news conference.

Earlier this week, 12 North Korean warplanes flew in formation near the South Korean border in a simulation of an air-to-ground attack, prompting Seoul to scramble 30 fighter jets of its own.

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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Associated Press contributed to this report