Seoul Says North Korea Fired 2 Suspected Short-Range Missiles

The Latest on North Korea test firing at least one projectile off its western coast (all times local):

7:10 p.m.

South Korea's military says North Korea has fired two suspected short-range missiles.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier said North Korea fired at least one projectile from its western province on Thursday afternoon.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said later that the North fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles. It says they flew 420 kilometers (260 miles) and 270 kilometers (167 miles), respectively.

It says South Korean and U.S. authorities are trying to find out more details about the launches.

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6:30 p.m.

The Japanese Defense Ministry says none of the projectiles fired by North Korea has reached anywhere near the Japanese coastline.

The ministry says "at present, we are not aware of any situation that would pose an immediate threat to Japan's national security."

Japan apparently has downplayed its reaction to North Korea's test firing of missiles on Saturday and Thursday as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe desperately seeks to secure a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

South Korea's military says North Korea has fired at least one unidentified projectile from its western area. It's the second such launch in the last five days.

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5 p.m.
South Korea's military says North Korea has fired at least one unidentified projectile from its western area. It's the second such launch in the last five days.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff had no other immediate details of the Thursday afternoon launch.

North Korea and the United States are currently deadlocked in diplomacy meant to rid the North of its nuclear arsenal.

The launch came hours after the North through its state media described its earlier firing of rocket artillery and an apparent short-range ballistic missile on Saturday as a regular and defensive military exercise and ridiculed South Korea for criticizing the launches.

AP-WF-05-09-19 1015GMT