SEOUL: North Korea fired two cruise missiles from the west coast town of Onchon early on Wednesday, a South Korean military source said, without giving details such as the missiles’ range or altitude.

The launches come as South Korea and the United States kicked off their four-day preliminary joint drill on Tuesday in preparation for the long-suspended live field training Ulchi Freedom Shield, which takes place from Aug. 22 to Sept. 1.

South Korea president says any talks with North Korea should be more than show

Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday said he is willing to provide phased economic aid to North Korea if it ended nuclear weapons development and began denuclearisation, as he took questions during a news conference to mark his first 100 days in office.