SEOUL/TOKYO: North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles from around Pyongyang toward the Sea of Japan around 7:10 a.m. Thursday, the South Korean military said.

Japan’s Defense Ministry also said multiple ballistic missiles were fired from North Korea the same day and the missiles are believed to have fallen into waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

It was the first ballistic missile firing by North Korea since July 1.

According to the Japanese ministry, at least two of the missiles fired Thursday reached a maximum altitude of about 100 kilometers and traveled over 350 kilometers. The South Korean military said the missiles traveled some 360 kilometers.

No damage from the missiles to aircraft and vessels has been confirmed.

The Japanese government made a solemn protest to North Korea, saying that the country’s ballistic missile firing constitutes a violation of relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and is a matter of Japanese public safety.

Senior Japanese, U.S. and South Korean government officials in charge of North Korean affairs held phone talks and condemned Pyongyang for posing a threat to the peace and security of the region and the international community. They confirmed three-way cooperation in dealing with the North Korean situation.

Following the latest missile launch, Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio instructed his government staff to make thorough efforts to collect and analyze information about the launch, provide accurate information promptly to the public, confirm the safety of aircraft and ships, and fully prepare for any contingencies.

JIJI Press