Two ballistic missiles are fired by North Korea, reports Seoul

The South Korean military has detected the launches of two short-range ballistic missiles by the North early on Tuesday, as Washington and Seoul began major joint military exercises on the peninsula. The launches come a day after Pyongyang test-fired cruise missiles from a submarine in response to US military drills in the region. Seoul's military condemned the launches as an act of significant provocation that harms peace and stability. On Monday, Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the country had launched cruise missiles from its submarine the day before, in what is believed to have been the first such test by the North. The latest launches come against a backdrop of massive US-South Korea military drills codenamed Freedom Shield, which kicked off on Monday.

Pyongyang has repeatedly warned Washington and Seoul against holding the drills, accusing the two of rehearsing a war of aggression against the North. Last Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on his military to be ready to engage in "real" combat "at any time," as reported by KCNA.