They also reported that one of the missiles failed shortly after launch but there were no casualties according to Yonhap News. It comes as North Korea fired a ballistic missile further than ever on Tuesday as it soared over Japan the first North Korea missile to do so for five years as locals were advised to take cover.
It is estimated that the missile had a 4,600 km (2,850 miles) flight – the longest of any known missile launched by Pyongyang.
The launch was unusually close to Japan, unlike most North Korean launches which are usually “lofted” into space to avoid flying over neighbouring countries.
In response, Japan warned its citizens that they should take cover while some train services were suspended.
Following the launch, US and South Korean warplanes practiced bombing a target in the Yellow Sea before there launched their own missiles.
According the US military, fighter jets from the US and Japan also carried out join drills over the Sea of Japan.
Since mid September, North Korea and the US and its South Korean and Japanese allies have increasingly been flexing their military muscles.
A US aircraft carrier docked in South Korea for the first time since 2018 on September 23 while North Korea has conducted five launches in the last 11 days.
There have also been joint drills involving the United States, South Korea and Japan as well as a visit to the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) bordering South and North Korea by US Vice President Kamala Harris.
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South Korea’s defence minister, Lee Jong-sup told the country’s parliament in Seoul that North Korea had completed preparations for its first nuclear test since 2017.
Lee said that Pyongyang might use a smaller weapon for operational use or a bigger device with a higher yield than in previous tests.
He added that it was difficult to predict when North Korea might launch its seventh nuclear tests.
However, South Korean lawmakers were briefed by intelligence officials last week that it could occur between the Chinese Communist Party congress this month and next month’s US mid term elections.