Kim goes ballistic again - but his new rockets are all FLOPS: Brazen despot inspects troops after North Korea blasts THREE missiles into the Sea of Japan
South Koreans - living under constant threat of attack from their belligerent northern neighbours - had to wake up to the launch at 6.49am local time.
Two of the missiles landed off the east coast of South Korea's Kangwon province after flying 155 miles in a northeasterly direction.
A spokesman for US Pacific Command said none of the missiles, which it said were launched near Kittaeryong, had posed a threat to either North America or the US Pacific territory of Guam.
'The first and third missiles... failed in flight. The second missile launch... appears to have blown up almost immediately,' said the spokesman, Commander Dave Benham, adding that the launches happened over a span of 30 minutes.
The news was immediately reported to President Moon Jae-in.
Japan's NHK broadcast said the projectiles did not appear to be objects that could threaten Japan's safety.
Yoshihide Suga, the Japanese government's top spokesman, told reporters in Tokyo Saturday morning: 'We confirmed that no ballistic missiles have fallen onto our country's territory or EEZ (exclusive economic zone).'
'We confirmed there was no direct impact on our country's security. Our prime minister told us to remain on high alert and do our best to respond to any situations in order to protect our people's lives and property.'
The launch is the first by the North since it test-fired a missile on July 28 that could have been designed to reach 6,200 miles, putting parts of the US mainland within reach.
The North tends to test-fire balistic missiles or other projectiles - including those from long-range multiple rocket launchers - in response to US-South Korea joint military exercises.