North Korea Launches 3 Suspected Ballistic Missiles Says Japans Coast

North Korea Launches 3 Suspected Ballistic Missiles, Says Japan’s Coast Guard

(CNN) North Korea has fired three suspected ballistic missiles, the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement on its official website.

The Japan Coast Guard issued a warning to ships Monday morning local time, advising ships to “look out for further information.” The agency also urged ships to stay clear of falling objects and report sightings to the Coast Guard.

Before the statement, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said North Korea had launched at least one unidentified ballistic missile into waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula.

A day before the incident, North Korea admitted it conducted a test of an ICBM on Saturday, the third known test of the long-range weapon in less than a year.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency said a Hwasong-15 ICBM was fired in a “surprise ICBM launch exercise” on written orders from leader Kim Jong Un.

According to the KCNA report, the rocket flew 989 kilometers (614 miles) in almost 67 minutes to an altitude of 5,768.5 kilometers (3,584 miles).

The test is proof of Pyongyang’s ability to launch a “deadly nuclear counterattack against enemy forces” and “clear evidence of the assured reliability of our powerful physical nuclear deterrent.”

Saturday’s test came after North Korea warned on Friday of “unprecedented strong responses” should the United States and South Korea conduct planned military exercises.

Washington and Seoul are expected to hold nuclear tabletop exercises at the Pentagon this week, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said on Friday. The allies are also expected to hold military exercises on the Korean peninsula next month.

CNN’s Maija Ehlinger contributed to this report.