The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Sunday.

The JCS said that it detected two ballistic missiles launched from the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province toward the East Sea between 11:13 a.m. and 12:05 p.m.

The JCS is working on analyzing the details of the launch, including its range, speed and altitude. The flight trajectories of the missiles were reportedly similar to the characteristics of a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM).

The South Korean military said it has strengthened its surveillance activities and is maintaining readiness posture while coordinating closely with the United States.

The latest missile provocation comes about a month after the North launched an intercontinental ballistic missile and a day after the eleventh anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il's death.

The North appeared to launch the missile in response to the United Nations' recent adoption of a resolution condemning the North's human rights violations, as well as Japan's new security strategy declaring plans to possess preemptive counterstrike capabilities in the face of growing threats from China and North Korea.

North Korea has reportedly carried out 36 ballistic missile launches this year.