(LEAD) N. Korea fires barrage of short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: S. Korean military

North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, according to South Korea's military. The Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the missile launch from Pyongyang around 5 p.m. However, further details are yet to be released. In response to the missile launch, the military has heightened its surveillance and vigilance, keeping a heightened state of readiness.

They are also closely sharing relevant information with the United States and Japan. This missile launch occurred just a week after Pyongyang conducted a similar launch on August 12. The timing of the missile tests coincides with South Korea and the United States conducting a joint military drill, which has been scaled down following instructions from U.S. President Donald Trump.

North Korea has strongly condemned these drills, referring to them as rehearsals for invasion. In a statement released late Wednesday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, expressed that North Korea has no interest in the reduction of the military exercises between the allies, dismissing it as "unworthy of comment."