North Korea 'fires ballistic missiles into sea'

North Korea has fired three ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, BBC News reports, citing US and South Korean officials.

The missiles were launched from the Hwangju region, said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and flew about 500km (310 miles) to 600km.

The US said the first two were believed to be short-range Scuds while the third was presumed to be a mid-range Rodong.

It comes after the US and South Korea said they would deploy an anti-missile system to counter the North's threats.

North Korea is barred by UN sanctions from any test of nuclear or ballistic missile technology. But tensions have soared since it carried out its fourth nuclear test in January.

South Korea's Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said missile tests had been "a rare phenomenon in the past" but had been taking place "continuously" this year.

"The threat to our national security has grown very quickly in a short period of time," he said.