N. Korea fires barrage of short-range missiles into East Sea

A missile is being fired in an undisclosed location in North Korea, in this file photo released by the [North] Korean Central News Agency.

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - North Korea fired a barrage of missiles into the East Sea, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Thursday.

According to the JCS, North Korea launched about 10 projectiles, presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), from Sunan near Pyongyang at around 6:14 a.m. (2114 GMT) on Thursday. The missiles flew approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) before crashing into the sea.

South Korea's military authorities speculated that Pyongyang's missile test appears to simulate attacks on key military installations here such as the South Korean military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province and the U.S.' Air Force base in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. These facilities are located about 330 and 350 kilometers from Pyongyang.

The provocation came just a day after Pyongyang sent hundreds of balloons carrying bags filled with garbage and feces southwards to Seoul and its metropolitan areas on Wednesday.

North Korea fired a satellite rocket earlier this week in a bid to send a military spy satellite into orbit, but the first-stage rocket malfunctioned, exploding in mid-air and scattering multiple pieces of debris into the West Sea.