JAKARTA - North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) into the sea off its east coast on Monday morning, the South Korean military said, ahead of the arrival of the US aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships.
The missiles were fired from North Hwanghae Province at 7:47 am and flew 370 kilometers (230 miles), South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
Both missiles appear to have landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, according to the Japanese Government.
The South Korean military "condemns loudly" the missile launches as a major provocation, violating the United Nations Security Council (UN) resolution and calling for an immediate cessation.
"We will continue to monitor North Korea's various activities and maintain a firm preparedness posture based on the ability to respond to any provocations," the JCS said in a statement, adding that it would continue military exercises with the US as planned.
The Japanese government has also submitted "hard protests" to North Korea, saying the missile launch threatens Japan's security and peace, the region and the international community.
Monday's missile launch comes ahead of the arrival of US carrier USS Nimitz and ships from the accompanying strike group in Ginseng Country, which is scheduled to dock at South Korea's naval base in Busan on Tuesday.
Prior to his arrival, the aircraft carrier will conduct joint maritime exercises with South Korean troops on Monday off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula, the South Korean defense ministry said.
The carrier's visit, marking the first visit since the visit of USS Ronald Reagan in September, was arranged as part of an effort to put more US "strategic assets" in the area to deter North Korea, the ministry said.
North Korea has stepped up its military tests in recent weeks, including the firing of several cruise missiles last Wednesday, which Pyongyang said aimed at practicing tactical nuclear attacks.
On Friday, North Korea said it had tested a new nuclear-capable underwater attack drone, as leader Kim Jong-un warned joint military exercises by South Korea and the US should be stopped.
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