South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) says North Korea launched multiple unidentified ballistic missiles toward the West Sea on Monday.

In text messages sent to reporters, the JCS said the military detected multiple projectiles fired from inland areas of Hwanghae Province at around 1:50 p.m.

The JCS added that South Korea's military is shoring up surveillance and vigilance while maintaining full readiness in close coordination with the U.S.

The launches came as South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual Freedom Shield exercise on Monday, aimed at strengthening their joint defense readiness in the face of evolving military threats from North Korea.

The launches mark the first ballistic missile test since January 14 and the first since the start of the second Donald Trump administration on January 20.