Pyongyang is stepping up weapons testing as it seeks to develop more sophisticated weaponry.
North Korea has carried out a third test of its cruise missiles in less than a week, firing the weapons into waters off its western coast.
The South Korean military “detected several unknown cruise missiles launched towards North Korea's Western Sea around 07:00.” [22:00 GMT]”the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
Intelligence agencies in South Korea and the United States were analyzing the data, he added.
North Korea is not prohibited from testing cruise missiles under long-standing sanctions imposed by the United Nations over its nuclear program and has already carried out two tests over the past week.
On Monday, state media said leader Kim Jong Un had “guided” the launch of strategic submarine-launched cruise missiles, known as Pulhwasal-3-31, over the weekend, a few days after South Korea detect the launch of several cruise missiles from the western coast of the country.
Pyongyang has pressed ahead with weapons tests amid rising tensions on the peninsula as Kim modernizes the country's military and develops more sophisticated weaponry.
Since the beginning of the year, it also launched what it said was a solid-fuel hypersonic ballistic missile, as well as a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone.
Meanwhile, Japan, South Korea and the United States have been expanding their combined military exercises – which Kim describes as invasion rehearsals – and fine-tuning their deterrence strategies based on US nuclear-capable assets.
In recent weeks, Kim has declared South Korea his country's “main enemy” and closed agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach.
