SKorea Says NKorea Fires 3 Missiles off East Coast

A South Korean conservative activist burns a defaced North Korean flag and mock missiles during a...

A South Korean conservative activist burns a defaced North Korean flag and mock missiles during a rally denouncing North Korea's missile launch in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, July 3, 2009. South Korea said Friday it is closely monitoring North Korean military sites because the communist nation may fire more missiles, amid speculation that a long-range test launch aimed toward the U.S. is possible in coming days.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

(AP)

North Korea fired three missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday.

The launches, which came two days after North Korea fired four short-range missiles, could further escalate tensions in the region as the U.S. tries to muster support for tough enforcement of the U.N. resolution imposed on the communist regime for its May nuclear test.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired Saturday morning, but declined to elaborate on the type. Two missiles were fired early Saturday, while a third was fired later in the morning, it said.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted military officials as saying the missiles appeared to be a type of Scud missile.

Related

N. Korea Test-Fires Two Short-Range Missiles

U.S.: New Sanctions on N. Korea, Iran

WH Seeks Stronger N. Korea Sanctions

A senior presidential official told The Associated Press the missiles fired are believed to have a range of less than 300 miles (500 kilometers).

"Our military is fully ready to counter any North Korean threats and provocations based on strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture," the Joint Chiefs of Staff statement said.

North Korea's state news agency carried no reports on the launches.

The chief of U.S. Naval operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, said the American military was ready for any North Korean missile tests.

"Our ships and forces here are prepared for the tracking of the missiles and observing the activities that are going on," Roughead said after meeting Japanese military officials in Tokyo on Saturday.

Speculation had been high that the communist country might launch more missiles. North Korea had warned shipping to stay away from its east coast effective through July 10.

The senior presidential official cautioned that North Korea could fire more missiles in coming days, but said there was little possibility it could fire the intercontinental ballistic missile it threatened in April.