N. Korea fires multiple short-range projectiles off eastern coast

We begin with our top story this evening.
North Korea has test-fired multiple short-range projectiles out toward the east coast.
Top diplomats and nuclear envoys of South Korea, U.S. and Japan... held emergency talks to exchange their views on the matter.
Our defense ministry correspondent Kim Ji-yeon starts us off.
South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff confirmed North Korea had fired multiple short-range projectiles from its eastern coast... near North Korea's town of Wonsan in the space of around 20 minutes... between 9:06 AM and 9:27 AM local time on Saturday.
It was first reported to have been missiles,... but the South Korean military later corrected that they were projectiles.
The Joint Chief of Staff said the projectiles flew between 70 and 200 kilometers... in a northeasterly direction... and it's working with the U.S. to verify what projectiles were launched.
A military official speculated that it was a 300 milimeter multiple launch rocket system... the same one tested by the North in March 2014,... that flew some 150 kilometers northeast from Wonsan.
The South Korean military also says it's closely working with the U.S.,... maintaining a strong joint military readiness posture.
The most recently fired projectile by the North was when it tested a new tactical guided weapon last month.
North Korean propaganda website 'Meari'... criticized the U.S. for its interference... forcing the South to participate in pressuring the North in inter-Korean affairs.
Seoul's foreign ministry meanwhile are on the same page,... exchanging views with its U.S. and Japanese counterparts on the matter.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks over the phone,... agreeing to continue analyzing the situation while communicating with each other in handling the incident.
Seoul's foreign ministry's special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon and U.S. special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun also held phone talks... and agreed to hold communication channels in various levels.
Lee Do-hoon also held a phone conversation with his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi... to exchange views on the matter.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.