North Korea fires suspected ballistic missiles into sea
South Korea's military says launches came after U.S. and South Korean warships departed for exercises
Pyongyang has carried out about 30 missile tests this year, including several intercontinental ballistic missiles
North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile into the sea on Wednesday after the United States and South Korea concluded joint naval exercises involving a U.S. aircraft carrier. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the area around the North's eastern coastal city of Wonsan.
The JCS did not say whether North Korea had fired more than one missile, or describe the type of missile or missiles launched. Japan's Coast Guard also said it had detected what appeared to be a ballistic missile launch by North Korea, and advised ships to be aware of falling objects.
The launch came just over two weeks after North Korea tested what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which broke a self-imposed moratorium on such tests and raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea has carried out about 30 missile tests this year, including several ICBMs, in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the country from developing or testing nuclear-powered or ballistic missiles.
The United States and South Korea concluded a three-day joint naval exercise on Tuesday involving a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Ronald Reagan.
The exercise, which marked the first time in four years that a U.S. aircraft carrier has taken part in joint drills with South Korea in the Sea of Japan, likely angered North Korea, which views the exercises as a threat to its security.
The U.S. and South Korean navies regularly conduct joint exercises, but North Korea typically responds with criticism and threats of retaliation.
The latest launch is likely to further increase tensions between North Korea and the United States, which has labeled North Korea a "rogue state" and pledged to use all available means to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.
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