North Korea has fired "several" short-range missiles from the east coast city of Wonsan towards the east, with South Korea's military confirming the incident.
South Korea's joint chiefs of staff (JCS) said Korea and US authorities were analysing details of the missiles, which were fired about 9:00am local time (10:00am AEST).
The military said in a statement that the missiles flew 70 to 200 kilometres before they landed in the water. The South had previously said the North launched a single missile.
"Our military has been closely watching North Korea's movements and has maintained a full-fledged posture in close coordination with the US," the JCS said in a statement quoted by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.
The firing comes amid a diplomatic breakdown following the failed summit earlier this year between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the North's pursuit of a nuclear arsenal that can target the US mainland.
It is the first missile launch since the 2017 deployment of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and comes as North Korea steps up pressure on Washington following the failed nuclear summit.
Mr Kim recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin in a first-ever summit between the two leaders, aimed at resolving a standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear program.
Mr Putin said the two leaders had "exchanged views on how and what needs to be done so that we can improve the situation", while Mr Kim called the discussions "fruitful" and a "meaningful exchange".
Mr Kim has vowed to no longer test nuclear weapons or ICBMs, but the North has conducted other weapons tests since then.
The missile firing, coming after the North's test of what it called a tactical weapons system, added to the pressure it has exerted on Washington.
"It also seems clear that North Korea is angry over what appears to be a lack of flexibility in the Trump administration's position on relieving sanctions, sticking to a policy of 'maximum pressure'," said Harry Kazianis at the Centre for the National Interest, a think-tank.
Mr Kim has held two summit meetings with Mr Trump, the second in February in Vietnam, but the two leaders failed to make progress on ending the North's nuclear program due to disagreement on weapons dismantlement and sanctions relief.
Reuters/AP
