South Korea, US fire ballistic missiles after North Korea's tests

South Korea and the United States have fired eight ballistic missiles in response to North Korean weapons tests the previous day, Seoul's military said.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the allies launched the ground-to-ground Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile on Monday at targets in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, in the early morning.

The 10-minute volley comes a day after North Korea launched eight short-range ballistic missiles following a South Korea-US joint military exercise involving a US aircraft carrier.

"Our military strongly condemns the North's series of ballistic missile provocations and sternly urges it to immediately stop acts that raise military tensions on the peninsula," it added.

US and South Korean militaries conducted live-fire exercise, with one US missile and seven South Korean missiles launched into the Sea of Japan, US military said.

Second such joint show of force

Pyongyang has doubled down on upgrading its weapons programme this year, despite facing crippling economic sanctions, with officials and analysts warning that the regime is preparing to carry out a fresh nuclear test.

Monday's launches mark the second such joint show of force by the allies under South Korea's hawkish new President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has vowed a tougher stance against Pyongyang's provocations.

He said North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programmes have reached a level where they pose a threat to regional and world peace.

Yoon made the comment at a Memorial Day event a day after North Korea launched a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles in probably its largest single test.

Last month, Seoul and Washington carried out combined launches after Pyongyang fired three ballistic missiles –– including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile –– in their first such joint move since 2017.