U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges North Korea to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions and halt destabilizing acts, his spokesman said Thursday, after Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles in its latest provocation.

The North fired the missiles early Thursday morning (Seoul time), the latest in a series of provocative statements and acts the North has engaged in as South Korea and the U.S. have been conducting annual joint military exercises Pyongyang has long branded as a rehearsal for invasion.

"The secretary-general obviously remains gravely concerned by the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He once again calls on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to return to full compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions and cease destabilizing acts, such as today's launch of two missiles," Ban's spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said.

"We are also closely following developments and staying in touch with all interested parties, and we reaffirm the secretary-general's commitment to work for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said. (Yonhap)