The missile launches follow North Korea's test launch of the strategic cruise missile "Pulhwasal-3-31" on Wednesday, which Pyongyang claims is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated on Sunday that they detected several missiles in waters near the North Korean port of Sinpo. The port houses a shipyard where Pyongyang manufactures naval assets, including missile-firing submarines.
While cruise missiles are not explicitly banned under UN sanctions, which target more sophisticated ballistic technology, these launches are likely to further strain Pyongyang's already tense relations with the US, South Korea, and Japan.
Recent weeks have seen North Korea conduct various weapons tests, including launches of an alleged "underwater nuclear weapon system" and a solid-fueled hypersonic ballistic missile. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has intensified his country's ballistic missile program, receiving alleged cooperation from Russia.
Earlier this month, Kim declared South Korea as his country's "principal enemy," asserting that peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula is no longer possible.
In response to Pyongyang's tests, the US, South Korea, and Japan have conducted expanded joint military exercises, which Kim has labeled as rehearsals for an invasion.
The Korean Central News Agency, a state-run outlet in North Korea, condemned the drills, pledging "merciless" consequences and asserting that the country is "fully prepared for a deadly war."
North Korea's recent missile tests have faced widespread condemnation, with the US, South Korea, Japan, and the UN urging Pyongyang to engage in denuclearization talks. However, China and Russia have called for restraint and dialogue amid heightened regional tensions. (ILKHA)