(VOVworld) -  The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles from North Hwanghae province in the direction of the Sea of Japan, northeast of Wonsan, Kangwon province.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staffs (JCS) announced that the projectiles, believed to be Scud-type missiles, flew over 500 kilometers before falling down offshore. This was the first time North Korea has launched short-range ballistic missiles this year.
The JCS said the missile launch was prompted by anger over tough UN sanctions, South Korea’s unilateral restrictions against North Korea, and the ongoing joint drill of US and South Korean armed forces.
The Japanese government lodged a protest on Thursday via its embassy in Beijing of North Korea’s latest missile launch. The same day, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe convened an emergency meeting of his cabinet and said Japan will continue to closely cooperate with the US and South Korea in collecting intelligence and evaluating the situation. Abe said the missile launch violated UN Security Council resolutions and threatened maritime and aviation security in the region.
Henry Ensher, US representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the international community needs to impose sanctions on North Korea. China and Russia have protested North Korea’s nuclear test and highlighted the importance of UN Security Council’s restrictions on North Korea.