North Korea fired several ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, early Saturday, according to South Korea’s military. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch was detected at 5:20 a.m. local time from an area near Wonsan on North Korea’s east coast.

The missile test marks the latest in a series of launches by Pyongyang, which continues to develop its weapons programs in defiance of international sanctions. Such actions consistently escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and draw condemnation from neighboring states and the United States.

While the exact number and type of missiles were not specified in the initial report, ballistic missile tests are a direct challenge to United Nations Security Council resolutions. The launches are routinely monitored by South Korean, Japanese, and U.S. forces in the region.