North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles

SEOUL, May 17 (Reuters): North Korea fired a number of short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea off its east coast on Friday, South Korea's military said, a day after the US and South Korea conducted joint drills with stealth fighter jets simulating air combat.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the launch as a provocation. It said the projectiles were fired from the east coast town of Wonsan and flew about 300 km (186 miles) before landing in the sea.

Citing a government official, Japan's public broadcaster NHK also reported that a short-range missile appeared to have been launched and had already fallen.