North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles off its eastern coast Wednesday, South Korea's military said, an apparent response to ongoing joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States on the Korean Peninsula.

Several cruise missiles were launched from Hamhung in South Hamgyong Province toward the Sea of Japan from around 10:15 a.m., according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The latest salvo came one day before the 11-day command post exercise, Freedom Shield, is due to end. A field training called Warrior Shield is concurrently being held.

"Under the firm combined defense posture, our military will successfully finish the FS and continue to carry out the ongoing Warrior Shield with high intensity," the JCS said in a press release.

North Korea last launched a missile Sunday. The single short-range ballistic missile fired from the country's northwest is estimated to have flown about 800 kilometers at a maximum altitude of around 50 km before falling into the Sea of Japan.

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