The United States urged North Korea on Sunday to stop threats and take steps toward denuclearization after the communist nation fired a barrage of short-range missiles in a move seen as a protest against upcoming U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

The missiles were launched from the east coast Sunday and landed in the East Sea. Exact types of the missiles have yet to be identified, but the North is banned from any ballistic activity under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

North Korea has long used missile launches as an expression of anger toward the outside world, and Sunday's firings were seen as a show of force in the run-up to annual joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises that Pyongyang condemns as a rehearsal for invasion of the country.

"We call on the DPRK (North Korea) to immediately cease all threats, reduce tensions and take the steps toward denuclearization needed to resume credible negotiations," a State Department representative said in emailed comments to Yonhap News Agency.

"Our annual joint military exercises with the Republic of Korea (South Korea) are transparent, defense-oriented, and have been carried out regularly and openly for roughly 40 years," the official said. (Yonhap)