North Korea fires three ballistic missiles off east coast

Seoul: North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Monday, South Korea`s Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The missiles were fired into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) from the North`s Hwangju county at around 0300 GMT, a defense ministry spokesman said, more sabre-rattling that follows a submarine-launched ballistic missile test some two weeks ago.

It is not known yet what type of missile was launched on Monday, the spokesman said, adding that South Korea`s military was analysing the test.

North Korea has staged a string of missile tests this year, with the most recent August 24 submarine-launched ballistic missile flying some 500 kilometres (300 miles) towards Japan.

That launch, which was widely-condemned, marked what weapons analysts described as a clear step forward for North Korea`s nuclear strike ambitions.

Monday`s missile launch came hours after South Korean President Park Geun-Hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sideline of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou.

China is the North`s sole major ally and economic lifeline but ties have strained recently over the North`s nuclear and missile tests that raised tension on the peninsula.