Title: North Korea Launches Several Cruise Missiles

The South Korean army announced that North Korea launched several cruise missiles off its eastern coast today, Wednesday, in the latest series of weapon tests, as South Korea and the United States conduct joint military exercises. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea reported that Pyongyang launched the missiles at approximately 10:15 AM (0115 GMT) from a southern province. The number and type of the projectiles launched have not yet been clarified. The Joint Chiefs stated that the military is on high alert and that intelligence agencies in South Korea and the United States are analyzing the details of the missiles. The army mentioned in a statement, "We will successfully conclude the Freedom Shield exercises as planned under strong joint defense conditions." The allies are set to conclude their 11-day drills called "Freedom Shield 23" tomorrow, Thursday. Additionally, the U.S. amphibious assault ship (Makin) docked in South Korea today for the first large-scale amphibious landing exercises between the allies in five years, according to the U.S. military. The latest missile launch by the northern neighbor today comes just three days after it fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea off its eastern coast. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the launches carried out today likely included cruise missiles, which are considered strategic weapons by North Korea. The term "strategic" is typically used to describe weapons that have nuclear capabilities. North Korea has ramped up its military testing in recent weeks, having launched an intercontinental ballistic missile last week and conducted what it described as a simulation of a nuclear counterattack on the United States and South Korea earlier this week.