SEOUL: North Korea test-fired four short-range missiles yesterday, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said, a move that aggravates already high tensions following Pyongyang’s recent nuclear test and UN sanctions imposed as punishment. Two ground-to-ship missiles were fired from the eastern coastal city of Wonsan in the afternoon, a ministry official said.

The North also fired a third missile later from the east coast, but the exact site and the type of rocket was not immediately known, the official said. Another ministry official said the North later fired a fourth missile, though she provided no details.

Yonhap news agency, citing an unnamed military official, reported all four missiles flew about 100 km and identified them as KN-01 missiles with a range of up to 160 km.

North Korea had earlier called for a no-sail zone in waters off its east coast through July 10 for military drills. That designation was viewed as a prelude to such missile tests.

The launches came as North Korea’s relations with the United States, South Korea and other countries were already severely strained after its May 25 underground nuclear test and a series of missile firings. The UN Security Council adopted a tough sanctions resolution last month to punish the communist regime.

North Korea has also threatened to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile. Last month, a Japanese newspaper reported that the North could test-fire a long-range missile toward Hawaii as early as tomorrow. A top US military commander said the United States is prepared to intercept any North Korean long-range missile. “The nation has a very, very credible ballistic-missile defense capability,” Gen. Victor “Gene” Renuart, the top US commander in North America, told The Washington Times.