South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Sunday morning.

The JCS said on Sunday that it detected the missiles fired from the areas around Sunan in Pyongyang toward the East Sea from 9:08 a.m. to 9:43 a.m.

The JCS said the military is maintaining a readiness posture in close coordination with the United States, while enhancing monitoring activities and vigilance for possible additional launches.

The latest launch marks the North’s 18th act of provocation this year and the third since the inauguration of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The North test-fired a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile and two apparent short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on May 25, when U.S. President Joe Biden headed home after visiting South Korea and Japan.