North Korea fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Saturday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, as the United States and South Korea conducted their annual joint military drills.

The missiles were launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang at around 1:20 p.m. local time, flying approximately 350 kilometers before splashing down, according to Seoul's military. Japan's Defense Ministry confirmed the launches, noting the projectiles reached a maximum altitude of about 80 kilometers and fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

No damage or injuries were reported from the launches. South Korea's JCS stated it was maintaining a robust defense posture under combined operations with the United States, closely monitoring North Korean activities and ready to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation.

The incident occurred during the Freedom Shield exercises, which began on March 10 and are scheduled to run for 11 days. Pyongyang has repeatedly denounced the drills as a rehearsal for invasion, despite Seoul and Washington's insistence that they are defensive in nature.

Earlier this week, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, condemned the exercises and warned of "unimaginably terrible consequences." This marks the third ballistic missile launch by North Korea in 2026, following tests in January.

North Korea recently test-fired cruise missiles from a new destroyer amid the ongoing drills. The country has conducted frequent missile tests for over two decades to advance its nuclear-capable arsenal, defying United Nations sanctions imposed since 2006.

Amid the tensions, diplomatic overtures continue. South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said U.S. President Donald Trump remained positive about resuming dialogue with Pyongyang, viewing a potential meeting with Kim Jong Un as "good." Trump has expressed openness to such talks during recent Asia engagements.

South Korea's presidential office described the launch as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to halt such activities.