A rally held by the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the capital of Pyongyang. The socialist state tested short-range missiles on October 11, 2009.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
3:24pm UK, Monday October 12, 2009
North Korea has fired five short-range missiles off its east coast and declared a 'no sail' zone in the area until October 20, South Korean reports have said.
Yonhap news agency, quoting a government source, said Pyongyang had warned fishing boats to stay clear of parts of its coast - suggesting more possible launches.
The missiles, the first fired in about three months, came as the North said it is ready to return to international talks on its controversial nuclear programme.
It was not clear whether the latest launches were routine military exercises.
But they coincided with reports that America is planning to send its aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the South Korean port of Busan on Tuesday.
The reclusive North has hundreds of short-range range missiles.
They have the ability to strike the South Korean capital Seoul and its sprawling urban surroundings, which are home to about 25 million people.
A nuclear test in May and a spate of missile tests around the same time triggered a tightening of sanctions against Pyongyang.
Analysts have said the North's desperate economic problems are partly behind its recent attempts to get on better terms with the outside world.
A UN resolution bans North Korea from launching ballistic missiles.
But there are no international agreements that bar it from test-launching short-range missiles.
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