(LEAD) N. Korea fires two unidentified projectiles into East Sea: JCS

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS more details in paras 2-5, photo)
By Oh Seok-min

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles into the East Sea on Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, the first such launches since it warned of "a new strategic weapon" earlier this year.

The projectiles were fired from areas near its eastern coast city of Wonsan on Monday afternoon, the JCS said in a brief release. Other details, including their type, flight range and altitude, were not immediately available.

"Our military is monitoring the situation in case of additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture," the JCS said.

It is the first such launch by the communist country since Nov. 28.

Last year, the regime test-launched missiles 13 times amid the stalled denuclearization talks with the United States.

In its New Year's message, Pyongyang warned it will show off a "new strategic weapon" in the near future. Experts said the "strategic weapon" may mean an advanced type of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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