North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Monday, with the second missile possibly failing and raining debris inland, according to South Korea’s military.

The launches occurred as the United States, Japan, and South Korea concluded three days of military exercises, dubbed "Freedom Edge," which North Korea has promised to respond to with “offensive and overwhelming” actions.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missiles were launched 10 minutes apart in a northeasterly direction from Jangyon, a town in southeastern North Korea. The first missile traveled 600km (370 miles), while the second missile flew 120km (75 miles). The exact landing locations of the missiles were not disclosed, but the flight distance of the second missile was too short to reach North Korea's eastern waters.

Lee Sung-joon, a spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that there appeared to be issues with the second missile, suggesting it might have exploded and scattered debris on the ground. Unidentified South Korean military sources, cited by local media, believe the second missile likely crashed inland, while the first one landed in waters off the eastern city of Chongjin.

The "Freedom Edge" exercises, involving the US, South Korean, and Japanese militaries, spanned three days and concluded on the same day as the missile launches. North Korea often views such drills as preparations for invasion or demonstrations of hostility.

The recent missile launches mark North Korea's first in five days. Last Wednesday, North Korea tested a developmental multiwarhead missile, intended to bypass US and South Korean missile defenses. South Korea disputed North Korea's claims, stating that the missile, believed to be hypersonic, spiraled out of control and exploded. (ILKHA)