North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Friday, Seoul’s military officials said, marking another round of provocations amid the ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills and their accelerating sanctions push.

One medium-range missile, presumed to be a Rodong, took off at around 5:55 a.m. from the western county of Sukchon and flew some 800 kilometers before hitting the waters within Japan’s Air Defense Identification Zone, the Joint Chiefs of Staff here said. But another one fired 22 minutes later from the same area vanished from radar after cruising about 17 kilometers.

“Our analysis so far indicates that (the second one) was also a missile launch, but further analysis is needed to rule out if it was a mock-up,” the JCS said in a statement.

Seoul condemned the move as a “blatant breach” of and “direct challenge” to the U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any use by Pyongyang of ballistic technology.

“Today’s firing is a grave provocation threatening peace on the peninsula and around the world in disregard of the international community’s collective will reflected in Resolution 2270,” the Foreign Ministry said, referring to the text adopted in response to the North’s Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 long-range rocket launch.

The U.S. State and Defense Departments also issued criticism, saying they were aware of and closely monitoring the situation.

“Launches using ballistic missile technology are a clear violation of multiple UNSC resolutions,” Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Bill Urban said in a statement. “We call on North Korea to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its international commitments and obligations.”

The communist state has been ratcheting up tensions since the latest international resolution was passed and Seoul and Washington kicked off their annual joint exercises on the largest scale ever early this month. The drills ended Friday.

The allies have also each introduced packages of unilateral sanctions targeting Pyongyang.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered new underground nuclear weapons tests and long-range rocket launches “in a short time,” saying the country had secured warhead miniaturization and missile reentry know-how. On March 10, it also fired two short-range Scud missiles into the East Sea.

The latest provocation represents the North’s first use of medium-range missiles in nearly two years. With a maximum range of 1,300 kilometers, the Rodong is capable of carrying warheads and reaching all of the South and part of Japan.

“The series of North Korea’s ballistic missile launches appears to be linked with Kim Jong-un’s recent instruction,” Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told reporters, citing state media reports early this week.

“Our military sees that the North is quickening preparations for test-firings to boost its nuclear capabilities under Kim’s directive.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)