North Korea has fired three short-range ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast, South Korean and U.S. military report.
The U.S. military said the missile launches appear to have failed, exploding in flight or immediately after take-off. They also said the launches posed no threat to Guam or North America, Fairfax media reports.
"The first and third missiles at 11.49 am and 12.19 pm failed in flight. The second missile launch at 12.07 pm appears to have blown up almost immediately," U.S. Pacific Command said.
According to Sky News, the Joint Chiefs of Staff initially described the object as an "unidentified projectile," saying it was launched from the eastern region of Gangwon.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency and Japan's Kyodo news service said it may have been a ballistic missile. The agencies did not cite source, Sky News reports.
The news comes just hours after Japan imposed tough new sanctions against North Korea following the reclusive country's repeated missile launches.
US officials have previously said they believe that North Korea has the capacity to launch a missile that could reach Alaska and there have even been suggestions it could hit northern Australia.
US intelligence officials are said to believe that North Korea is close to completing a nuclear weapon that could be attached to an ICBM.
In the wake of growing concerns over several recent missile launches, US President Donald Trump has sought to work with China to quash North Korea's nuclear program.
Trump has reportedly grown frustrated with Chinese President Xi Jinping's unwillingness to increase pressure on the North, which has close historical ties with China.