North Korea launches two short-range missiles into sea

North Korea launched two short-range missiles into its eastern sea Monday, South Korean officials reportedly said. 

The projectiles were fired from an area near the coastal town of Wonsan and flew about 240 kilometers, or 149 miles, northeast while reaching a height of about 35 kilometers, or 22 miles, The Associated Press reported, citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

The chiefs later told reporters the weapons are presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, according to the AP. 

North Korea appears to be continuing a firing drill that the country’s leader Kim Jong Un oversaw last Friday, officials in South Korea told reporters, according to Reuters. 

The officials reportedly said it was monitoring for potential additional launches.

Japan’s defense ministry said there was no indication that the projectiles launched by North Korea reached Japan’s territory or its exclusive economic zone, Reuters noted. 

South Korea’s presidential office told the AP that defense and national security officials expressed “strong concern” over North Korea’s resumption of testing activity.

Nuclear talks between the Trump administration and North Korea have seemingly stalled after a summit between Trump and Kim ended suddenly last year. North Korean officials at the time demanded the removal of all U.S. sanctions if the country denuclearized.

White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien told Axios in January that the White House had reached out to North Korea to resume denuclearization talks.

–Updated at 8:03 a.m.