North Korea has launched four ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan.

Three of them fell into Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) after flying some 1,000km (620 miles), in what PM Shinzo Abe called a “new stage of threat”.

Quoting the South Korean military, BBC reports that the missiles were fired from the Tongchang-ri region, near the North’s border with China.

The type of missile in unclear but the North is banned from any missile or nuclear tests by the UN.

A South Korean military official said a launch had taken place at 7:36 am local time Monday (22:36 GMT Sunday) and was being investigated to determine the type of projectile used.

The US military said later it had detected and tracked a launch but had determined that it did not pose a threat to North America.

On Friday, Pyongyang threatened to fire missiles in response to the Foal Eagle military exercises underway between South Korea and the US.

The North sees the annual drills as preparation for an invasion against it.

BDST: 1107 HRS, MAR 06, 2017
SR