North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea between Korea and Japan on Monday, Seoul defense officials said, hours before the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier conducted exercises with the South Korean navy.
The South Korean military detected two missiles fired from the Chunghwa County area in North Hwanghae Province, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to reporters. The missiles flew around 230 miles before splashing into the sea.
The JCS condemned the launches as "grave provocations that undermine peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as the international community."
"The South Korean military is capable of overwhelmingly responding to any provocation and is keeping a close eye on North Korea's activities while continuing to intensively carry out joint training," the statement said.
Japan also detected and reported the missile launch on Monday morning. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Tokyo's top spokesman, said at a briefing that Japan expects North Korea to step up its activities, including further ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests.
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