DPRK launches a cruise missile on January 28, 2022 (KCNA)

The South Korean military claimed that the DPRK launched several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea in the early hours of Saturday.

In a statement, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated that the details of the launch were being reviewed by South Korean and US intelligence authorities.

The launch was the latest in a series of missile tests and military exercises staged by Pyongyang in recent weeks.

On Friday, South Korea imposed fresh sanctions on five DPRK citizens and one firm against the backdrop of Pyongyang's failed launch of a reconnaissance satellite.

DPRK state media KCNA confirmed on Thursday that Pyongyang had conducted a simulated "scorched-earth" nuclear strike on targets across South Korea.

On the same day, Seoul and Washington ended their 11-day provocative large-scale joint military drills known as the Ulchi Freedom Shield, which saw the militaries of the two countries perform precision strike drills simulating a precision bombing of military targets in the DPRK and featured air drills with B-1B bombers.

The DPRK responded to the deployment of US strategic bombers by launching two ballistic missiles mere hours later.

It is noteworthy that Pyongyang has always viewed the US-South Korea drills, sometimes joined by Japan, as a scenario for a possible invasion of the island.