SEOUL

North Korea test-fired four short-range projectiles into the West Sea on Friday.

Yonhap news agency quoted a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) statement as saying that they were fired in succession between 4:15 p.m. (0815GMT) and 5 p.m. from Dongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province in the North.

The statement added that the launch "appears to be the North's provocations in opposition to the ongoing Seoul-Washington joint military exercise and civic groups' move to launch anti-Pyongyang leaflets."

The annual drills are divided into two phases: "Key Resolve," which runs March 2-13, and "Foal Eagle," which runs March 2- April 24.

While the initial drill is a computer simulated command exercise; the second involves includes actual "ground, air, naval, and special operations," field exercises.

The statement said that Friday's launch came after the North test-fired a short-range projectile of the same kind the previous day.

The projectiles are believed to have a range of some 140 km.