S.Korea says DPRK fires short-range ballistic missile

SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Sunday.

The JCS said in a statement that it detected the launch from an area in or around Taechon, North Pyongan province, at 6:53 am local time. It provided no further details immediately.

South Korea was maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States while strengthening surveillance and vigilance, according to the JCS.

The DPRK missile launch came two days after a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived in Busan, about 390 km southeast of the capital Seoul, for combined drills with the South Korean navy being planned to take place later this month.