North Korea is confirmed to have declared a no-sail zone in the East Sea, sparking concerns of additional missile launches in the area.
A South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official said Monday that Pyongyang put the ban in place beginning April 1.
However, the International Maritime Organization and neighboring countries including Japan are not said to have been informed of any such plans.
The JCS official said it appears the North put the ban in place to ensure the safety of domestic fishing boats. The official added that military authorities are thoroughly monitoring the movements of mobile Rodong missile launchers, according to Korea's (KBS WORLD) website.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from Nampo into the East Sea on March 2 and seven surface-to-air missiles from Seondeok, South Hamgyeong Province, into the East Sea on March 12. On Thursday and Friday, North Korea test fired a total of five short-range missiles presumed to be KN-02 toward the Yellow Sea.
A military official said the tests were a show of force in response to the joint Foal Eagle exercises between South Korean and U.S. forces, seeking to put pressure on South Korea.