North Korea Fires Seventh Missile In A Month, South Says

North Korea missile test, August 10 2019 (Picture: KCNA).

North Korea has fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast, South Korea’s military has said.

It comes just a day after North Korea threatened to remain America’s biggest threat and puts the number of weapons launches at seven in the last month.

US President Donald Trump downplayed reports, saying Kim Jong Un had been ‘pretty straight’.

"He likes testing missiles but we never restricted short-range missiles. We'll see what happens."

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff say the missiles were launched from North Korea’s Hamgyong province on Saturday morning.

In a statement, they said the weapons flew for about 236 miles at a maximum altitude of 60 miles.

The launches are believed to have been a message to the United States, which continues to impose economic and financial sanctions on North Korea in a bid to pressure the state to denuclearise.

North Korea's Foreign Minister, Ri Yong Ho, said that his country will try to remain "America's biggest threat", called US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a "poisonous plant of American diplomacy" and vowed to "shutter the absurd dream" that sanctions will force a change in Pyongyang.

South Korea is expected to launch diplomatic efforts to try to encourage North Korea to return to talks with the United States.

US envoy in North Korea Stephen Biegun said Washington is ready to restart discussions.