SEOUL: North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles from around Wonsan on its eastern coast toward the Sea of Japan on Monday, according to the South Korean military.

The latest projectile firing by the reclusive country was the first since late November last year. The projectiles traveled about 240 kilometers, reaching altitudes of around 35 kilometers, said the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Japanese government said it has not confirmed any ballistic missile flying into Japan's territory or its exclusive economic zone.

The South Korean presidential office held a meeting of relevant ministers and expressed deep concern about the North Korean move, characterizing it as behavior that could trigger military tensions. The office urged Pyongyang to stop any military activities.

Late last year, the North Korean regime suggested at a Central Committee meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea that it could resume nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches.

From January, however, Pyongyang appeared to be focusing on responding to the outbreak of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, including shutting its borders, while refraining from military provocations.

At a parliamentary committee meeting in Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said North Korea's repeated launches of ballistic missiles are a serious problem to the international community including Japan.

"In order to protect the lives and assets of the people, we'll continue making every effort to gather and analyze information and exercise vigilance," Abe said.

JIJI Press