N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea

North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on September 12, the South Korean military said, a week after Pyongyang warned that South Korea and the United States will have to pay a "dear price" for their joint drills, Report informs referring to Yonhap.

"The North Korean missiles flew about 360 kilometers and landed in the East Sea," the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. It said it detected the missiles launched from the Pyongyang area at 7:10 a.m., but it did not provide any further details, such as the number of missiles fired.

The distance, if fired southward, is sufficient to affect major South Korean cities such as Seoul and Daejeon as well as key military facilities in Gyeryong and Gunsan.

The South's military condemned the latest launch as a "provocative act" that gravely threatens the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and vowed stern response.

"While closely monitoring North Korea's various activities under a firm combined defense posture between the South Korea and the United States, we will maintain overwhelming capabilities and posture to respond to any provocation," the JCS said.