S. Korean Military: N. Korea Fires Two Ballistic Missiles

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles off in an eastward direction Monday, South Korea's military said, after warning of countermeasures against a joint military exercise held by South Korea, the United States and Japan. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said one short-range ballistic missile was launched from the Jangyon area in South Hwanghae Province in a northeastern direction and flew about 600 kilometers. Another ballistic missile was launched and flew about 120 kilometers, according to South Korea's (Yonhap) news agency. "While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance against additional launches, our military is maintaining a full-readiness posture while sharing North Korean ballistic missile data with US and Japanese authorities," the JCS said. On Sunday, the North's foreign ministry denounced the three-day multi-domain "Freedom Shield" exercise, saying the country would take "offensive and overwhelming" countermeasures against what it called an attempt to strengthen a military bloc. The lates t launch came five days after the North's firing of a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday. North Korea has ratcheted up cross-border tensions in recent weeks, launching trash-carrying balloons to South Korea in a tit-for-tat move against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by North Korean defectors and activists in the South. The latest launch also took place amid growing concerns over deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty during a summit last month in Pyongyang. The pact includes a pledge for the two countries to come to each other's aid if attacked. Source: Qatar News Agency