File Photo: Xinhua/KCNA


The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired two unidentified projectiles into the eastern waters on Monday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). 

The JCS said in a statement that the projectiles were launched near the DPRK's east coastal town of Wonsan toward the East Sea at about 12:37 p.m. local time (0337 GMT). 

The projectiles flew about 240 km at an altitude of around 35 km. The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States are making a precision analysis on further details, the JCS noted. 

It was the DPRK's first launch of projectiles this year. During the latest test-firing on Nov. 28 last year, two projectiles were launched from the DPRK's eastern province of South Hamgyong towards the eastern waters. 

The JCS said the South Korean military maintained a defense posture while closely monitoring relevant situations in preparation for possibly additional launches. 

It urged the DPRK to immediately stop such acts that are of no help for efforts to defuse tensions on the Korean Peninsula. 

Chung Eui-yong, top national security adviser for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, chaired an emergency video teleconference with the defense minister and the intelligence agency chief to review the overall security situations around the peninsula, including the DPRK's projectile launch earlier in the day. 

The participants expressed strong regret over the DPRK's acts that escalated military tensions, urging Pyongyang to stop such acts, according to the presidential Blue House.