North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday, just hours after South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual joint military drills, known as Freedom Shield, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

South Korea's military says North Korea has fired several ballistic missiles into the sea. The launch Monday happened hours after South Korean and U.S. troops kicked off their large annual combined drills,

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles, condemning the U.S.-South Korea annual Freedom Shield drills as provocative. The South Korean military described the drills as necessary for alliance readiness against threats.