North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles

North Korea on Saturday fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, Yonhap news agency reported, citing South Korea's military.

The launch originated from North Pyongan province, the agency said, citing the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

North Korea launched multiple projectiles into the sea earlier this month as part of firing drills, according to South Korea's military, drawing US and Chinese appeals for Pyongyang to return to talks on ending its nuclear and missile programmes.

Earlier on Saturday, state media KCNA said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided an artillery fire competition between combined units of the North Korean army on Friday.

North Korea also announced on Saturday it will hold a session of the Supreme People's Assembly, its legislature, which analysts had said would involve gathering almost 700 of the country’s leaders in one spot as the coronavirus spreads worldwide.

“If it goes ahead, it would be the ultimate show of (North Korea’s) confidence in managing the coronavirus situation,” Rachel Minyoung Lee, of the North Korea monitoring website NK News, said on Twitter this week.