South Korea's SEOUL According to South Korea's military, North Korea fired three ballistic missiles toward the sea on Wednesday, the North's first weapons fire in roughly two weeks, as the government claims that its first domestic COVID-19 epidemic is waning.

During President Joe Biden's visit to Seoul last weekend, the leaders of South Korea and the United States agreed to examine expanding military drills to deter North Korean nuclear threats.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea stated in a statement that between 6 and 7 a.m. on Wednesday, all three missiles were fired one after the other into waters off North Korea's eastern coast.

According to the report, South Korea has increased its surveillance posture and maintains a military preparedness in close conjunction with the US. According to his office, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol convened a National Security Council meeting to review the North's launches.

This was North Korea's 17th series of missile launches this year. North Korea's testing, according to experts, is intended at updating its weapons stockpile and exerting pressure on its adversaries amid stalled nuclear diplomacy.

Seoul: North Korea launches 3 ballistic missiles toward sea

North Korea has been testing weapons at an unusually fast pace this year, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile test since 2017. North Korea could execute its first nuclear test in nearly five years, according to US and South Korean intelligence officials.

Biden dismissed worries about possible provocation by North Korea during his visit to South Korea, stating, "We are prepared for anything North Korea does." When asked if he had a message for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Biden replied quickly: "Hello." Period.”

Following his visit to South Korea, Biden traveled to Japan and met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, where the two leaders pledged to work closely to address security challenges such as North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as China's "increasingly coercive" behavior in the region.