North Korea launches 10 ballistic missiles as US-South Korea drills near end

The missiles flew around 300 kilometres (186 miles) toward the sea, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

South Korea's presidential office condemned North Korea's launch of more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday and ordered its military to maintain full readiness during ongoing joint exercises with the United States.

North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea's military said on August 20, hours after US President Donald Trump said he would meet Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un later this year. (AFP)

The launch came after North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, on Wednesday condemned the U.S.-South Korea military drills, despite U.S. President Donald ​Trump's order to ​substantially reduce U.S. participation ⁠in the exercises.

The presidential office convened an emergency security meeting attended by officials from the defence ministry and military authorities after North Korea fired the missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the sea to the east of the Korean Peninsula, it said in a statement.