“We detected one SRBM launched from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea at around 3 p.m.,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) told the Korea JoongAng Daily.

The missile flew approximately 450 kilometres (280 miles), while South Korean and US intelligence authorities were conducting a detailed analysis of its specifications, the newspaper reported.

“Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities tracked and shared related developments from the initial stage of the launch and also shared information on the North Korean ballistic missile with Japan,” the JCS said.

“Our military is closely monitoring North Korea’s various activities under the firm South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture while maintaining the capabilities and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocation,” it added.

The latest launches came nearly a week after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea.

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the missile launches were carried out in protest against a trilateral military exercise involving South Korea, the United States and Japan.