South Korea, Aug. 24 -- North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Saturday in the seventh weapons launch in a month, South Korea's military said, a day after it threatened to remain America's biggest threat in protest of US-led sanctions on the country.

The North had been expected to halt weapons tests because the 10-day US-South Korean drills, which it views as an invasion rehearsal, ended earlier this week.

Saturday's launches were made from northeastern South Hamgyong province, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. They flew about 380 kilometers (236 miles) at the maximum altitude of 97 kilometers (60 miles), the military said.

The Japanese government said the suspected missiles caused ...