Seoul

North Korea fired two projectiles toward the Sea of Japan from a location in South Pyongan Province in the country's western region on Thursday, according to the South Korean military's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The projectiles are believed to be test-fired missiles. They apparently fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, the Japan Coast Guard said.

“They are deemed to be short-range ballistic missiles,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters after the Japanese government held a meeting of its National Security Council in response to the launch.

Tokyo lodged a protest against North Korea over the launch through embassies in Beijing.

Pyongyang has been repeatedly launching projectiles, including new short-range ballistic missiles, since July 25.

On Oct. 2, it fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile, which fell inside the Japanese EEZ in the Sea of Japan.

North Korea and the United States held working-level talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in Stockholm on Oct. 5. But Pyongyang claimed that the talks broke down as Washington took an old-fashioned attitude.

North Korea has since taken a harder line, with its leader, Kim Jong Un, directly criticizing Washington.

Through the latest launch, North Korea stressed anew its determination to expand its military capabilities, observers said.

Jiji Press