Story highlights Four ballistic missiles were launched more than 1,000 kilometersSouth Korea and the US are currently holding joint military exercisesUS says prepared to use full range of capabilities against threat(CNN) North Korea fired four ballistic missiles almost 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) towards the Sea of Japan early Monday morning, in what Japan's leader described as "an extremely dangerous action." Military in South Korea, Japan and the United States all confirmed the launch of four projectiles, which one US official said were intermediate range missiles. Three landed inside Japan's exclusive economic zone, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, which extends 200 nautical miles from its coastline according to international maritime law. Speaking to the Japanese Parliament Monday, Abe said the launch was a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Experts said the move was almost certainly in reaction to joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, which Pyongyang views as preparations for an invasion.

Source: CNN March 05, 2017 23:21 UTC