Seoul, Feb 2 (AP) South Korea's military said it detected North Korea firing multiple cruise missiles into waters off its western coast Friday, adding to a provocative run in weapons testing in the face of deepening tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US and South Korean militaries were analyzing the launches, which were the North's fourth round of cruise missile tests in 2024. There was no immediate information on the exact number of missiles fired or how far they flew.

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The launches came hours after North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un inspected the construction of warships at a shipyard in the western port city of Nampho as he urged his military to step up war preparations.

The North in January conducted three rounds of cruise missile tests, including what it described as a long-range cruise missile and a new weapon developed for submarine launches. (AP)

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)