North Korea fires two medium-range ballistic missiles into Sea of Japan

North Korea fired two medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM) into the Sea of Japan on December 18, further raising already tight tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The statement came online from South Korean military sources, Yonhap reports.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that it detected the launches from the Tongchang-ri area, North Pyongan Province, between 11:13 a.m. and 12:05 p.m local time. The missiles, fired at steep angles, was said to fly some 500 kilometers.

The intelligence authorities of the South and the United States are conducting an analysis for other details in a comprehensive consideration of the North's recent missile activities, the JCS said.

Tongchang-ri is home to a major rocket launch site. There, the North conducted an "important" test on a "high-thrust solid-fuel" motor on Thursday to develop "another new-type strategic weapon system", according to its official Korean Central News Agency.

The JCS denounced the launches as an act of "significant provocation" that undermines peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the international community, and a "clear" breach of UN Security Council resolutions.

"We strongly condemned them and urge the North to immediately stop them", JCS said.

It added the South Korean military will maintain a solid readiness posture based on its capabilities to respond "overwhelmingly" to any North Korean provocations.

The officials also said North Korea will pay the price for its action and South Korea, based on its strong alliance with the United States, will protect its own people while also bolstering security cooperation with the US and Japan.