North Korea fires 3 short-range projectiles in apparent strike drill

• North Korea fired three short-range projectiles into the sea on Sunday in an apparent strike drill, South Korea's military said.
• The military said it is "monitoring the situation in case there are additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture."
• The launches come a week after North Korea fired two short-range projectiles into its eastern sea under the guidance of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
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North Korea fired three short-range projectiles into its eastern sea on Monday, South Korea's military said.

South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said in a statement that it detected three projectiles fired from the South Hamyong Province at around 7:36 a.m., according to Yonhap News Agency. The projectiles flew about 200 kilometers (125 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of around 50 kilometers (31 miles).

The military said the launches appear to be part of an artillery strike drill involving multiple types of rocket launchers and added that they are "monitoring the situation in case there are additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture."

The launches come a week after North Korea fired two short-range projectiles into its eastern sea. According to Yonhap, the launches took place under the guidance of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The country also conducted a drill on February 28.

On Saturday, North Korea slammed Britain, Germany, France, Estonia and Belgium, for calling a closed-door UN Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea's missile launches.

"The illogical thinking and sophism of these countries are just gradually bearing a close resemblance to the United States, which is hostile to us," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement to state news agency KCNA.

"The reckless behavior of these countries instigated by the US will become a fuse that will trigger our yet another momentous reaction," the spokesperson added.

Relations between Pyongyang and Washington remain tense after a 2019 summit between President Donald Trump and Kim in Hanoi ended without an agreement.