The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said on Monday that North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea.

The JCS said it detected at 7:44 a.m. what appeared to be short-range ballistic missiles launched from the area of Pyongyang toward the East Sea, adding that the missiles flew about 300 kilometers before landing in eastern waters.

North Korea is said to have launched at least three missiles on Monday, which reportedly flew in the direction of an uninhabited island off Kilju in North Hamgyong Province.

The JCS said the military detected, tracked and monitored the missiles as soon as they were launched, and shared related information with the United States and Japan, adding that it is analyzing details of the launch of the missiles. 

The JCS strongly condemned the latest missile launch as a clear provocation that seriously threatens peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, adding that the military is closely watching the North's various activities and will take overwhelming action against any provocation.

The launch comes about a month after the North fired a new surface-to-sea cruise missile, the Padasuri-6, and follows South Korea and the U.S. recently completed annual Freedom Shield joint military exercise.