Anchor: North Korea on Wednesday fired multiple cruise missiles toward the East Sea. South Korea's military has strengthened its vigilance and is keeping an eye out for more provocations from the North.
Bae Joo-yon has more.

Report: The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said on Wednesday that it detected multiple missiles launched into waters northeast of Wonsan in North Korea's Gangwon Province at around 9 a.m.

The latest provocation is the regime's fifth cruise missile launch this year and comes less than two weeks after Pyongyang conducted what it called a cruise missile super-large warhead power test and test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile.

The North fired multiple missiles of its new strategic cruise missile, the Pulhwasal-3-31, into the Yellow Sea near Pyongyang on January 24 and launched two of the missiles again four days later near its port city of Sinpo in South Hamgyong Province.

On January 30, it launched the Hwasal-2 strategic cruise missile toward the Yellow Sea.

Observers believe the North is carrying out such missile launches to test the functions of new weapons while at the same time promoting the fact that it is developing a wide range of weapons.

The JCS said it has strengthened monitoring and vigilance and is in close coordination with the United States.

The South Korean military is analyzing the details of the launch, including the range and flying time.

The military is also closely monitoring the North for further provocations. 
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.