DPRK fires 2 short-range projectiles eastward -- S.Korea's JCS

SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired two short-range projectiles into eastern waters, the fourth launch in less than two weeks, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday.

The JCS said in a statement that the South Korean military detected two projectiles, presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles which were launched northeastward to the Eastern coast from the DPRK's Sunan airfield in Pyongyang at about 8:50 a.m. and 8:54 a.m. local time each.

The projectiles traveled some 380 km at an altitude of around 42 km. The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States were precisely analyzing further details on them, according to the JCS.

The JCS noted that the South Korean military was monitoring the situation and maintaining readiness posture to prepare for the possibly additional launch by the DPRK.

It marked the DPRK's fourth projectile launch this year. The DPRK's Korean Central News Agency said last week that the railway-borne missile regiment test-fired two tactical guided missiles on Friday.

The DPRK said it successfully test-launched a hypersonic missile on Jan. 5 and Jan. 11 respectively.

South Korea's presidential National Security Council (NSC) held an emergency meeting, emphasizing the importance for the rapid resumption of dialogue in order to stabilize situations on the Korean Peninsula.