Seoul: North Korea test fires 2 short range missiles

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's military says rival North Korea has fired two short range missiles into the sea off its east coast.

Such test firings aren't unusual, but Monday's morning launch comes as allies Washington and Seoul begin annual joint military drills that Pyongyang says are preparation for a northward invasion.

A South Korean Defense Ministry official says the two missiles were launched from the west coast and landed in waters off the east coast. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing office rules.

The annual U.S.-South Korean drills inevitably bring furious North Korean rhetoric, although the allies say the drills are purely defensive. Analysts believe the drills cost Pyongyang precious resources by forcing the country to respond with drills and launches of its own.