North Korea today fired two ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, the South Korean military said in the latest of an unprecedented number of North Korean missile tests this year.

The South Korean military said the rockets were fired from the Sunan area in Pyongyang. The Japanese Coast Guard also reported the launch of a ballistic missile.

According to the South Korean armed forces, the two missiles covered a distance of 250 and 350 kilometers, respectively, their launch is a serious problem and undermines international peace and security, and North Korea must immediately stop military provocations.

The launches come five days after the reclusive nation fired two medium-range missiles in what it called a “significant” test of its spy satellite program, which it wants to complete by April.

Dispute over the Wagner Group

New tensions flared this week after the White House said on Thursday that North Korea had completed an initial delivery of artillery missiles and missiles to private Russian military company Wagner Group to support Russian forces in Ukraine.

Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin denied the allegation, calling it “gossip and speculation.”

Pyongyang’s foreign ministry also dismissed Japanese media reports of ammunition shipments to Russia as “unsubstantiated.”

The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper reported that North Korea sent artillery shells and other munitions by rail to Russia last month and that more shipments are expected in the coming weeks.

The North Korean foreign ministry said it never had arms deals with Russia and criticized Washington for providing arms to Ukraine without mentioning Wagner.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters.