LOC12:24
09:24 GMT
TOKYO, March 22 (KUNA) -- North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan) on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Hamhung area on the North's east coast from 10:15 a.m. (0115 GMT). It did not immediately provide other details.
The launch came as South Korea and the US are conducting the combined Freedom Shield command post exercise as well as the concurrent field training exercise, called the Warrior Shield. The 11-day Freedom Shield is set to end Thursday.
"Under the firm combined defense posture, our military will successfully wrap up the Freedom Shield and continue to carry out the ongoing Warrior Shield in a high-intensity manner," the JCS was quoted as saying.
The North fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea during what it claimed to be tactical "nuclear counterattack" drills on the weekend. (end)
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