North Korea fires about a dozen short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea

The missiles were launched at around 12:30 p.m. and flew about 250 kilometers, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, adding that South Korea, the United States and Japan were sharing information on the launch, Yonhap and The Korea Herald reported. Japan's Defense Ministry said the projectile likely fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, Kyodo News reported.

The national security office at Cheong Wa Dae held an emergency meeting and said the launch violated U.N. Security Council resolutions, Yonhap reported. The Korea Herald said it was the North's 17th ballistic missile launch of the year and its first since Oct. 12.

Why it matters: Yonhap reported that the launch came about a week after Seoul proposed military talks on border demarcation, after a Sept. 21 land mine blast injured three South Korean soldiers. Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the blast.