North Korea reportedy fires more missiles as exercises start

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's military said North Korea fired unidentified projectiles twice into the sea as it continues to ramp up weapons tests amid stalemated nuclear negotiations with the United States.

The launches came a day after the U.S. and South Korean militaries started scaled-down joint military exercises despite warnings from the North the drills could derail fragile nuclear diplomacy.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles were launched from an area near the North's western coast and flew cross-country before landing in waters off the country's eastern coast.

It didn't immediately say how far the projectiles flew. The North last week conducted two test-firings of what it described as a new rocket artillery system and conducted a short-range ballistic missile launch July 25.