SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired three short-range projectiles into eastern waters on Thursday morning, local media reported.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) was quoted as saying that Pyongyang launched the three projectiles between 9:30 a.m. and 9: 55 a.m. local time from the DPRK's eastern Wonsan area in a northeasterly direction.

The projectiles, which flew about 220 km, were estimated to be launched from the 300mm-caliber multiple-rocket launchers.

The launchers are believed to have a range of around 210 km, indicating the DPRK succeeded in lengthening the range by 10 km or so.

The DPRK failed this time again to issue a no-fly, no- navigation warning before the launches, endangering civilian ships and airplanes possibly flying through the region when the projectiles were fired.

The firing came after the DPRK's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland unveiled a statement earlier in the day, which urged the Republic of Korea (ROK) to lift economic sanctions against the DPRK and cancel the scheduled military drills with the United States.

It was the DPRK's 17th firing of missiles or artillery shells this year. Pyongyang has launched 105 projectiles since Feb. 21, including shells from the multiple-rocket launchers, Scud and Rodong ballistic missiles and Frog missiles.

The latest happened on July 30 when the DPRK fired four short- range projectiles, presumed to be launched from the multiple- rocket launchers.

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