Seoul: This year, North Korea has conducted several weapons tests, the most recent on Saturday when it launched three short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters. A few days ago, it reportedly flew drones into South Korean airspace, raising tensions.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff claimed in a statement that they had detected three launches on Saturday morning from an area south of the North's capital, Pyongyang.

According to the report, South Korea has increased its surveillance posture and prepares itself in close coordination with the US. In a statement, the Japanese Defense Ministry claimed that North Korea had launched ballistic missiles.

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It was North Korea's first missile launch in eight days, and it came five days after Seoul accused Pyongyang of sending five drones to invade its airspace for the first time since 2017.

South Korean warplanes and helicopters were unable to shoot down any drones seen south of the border before they flew back to North Korea or disappeared from South Korean radar. One of them went as far as the northern area of Seoul. Many in the South experienced a security setback as a result, and the military issued a rare public apology on Tuesday.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for strengthening his country's air defense system and vowed to deal firmly with any provocation by North Korea.

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South Korea held a large-scale military drill on Thursday to simulate the downing of a drone. It launched a solid fueled rocket on Friday in an effort to develop space-based surveillance capability.

To launch its first spy satellite into orbit, South Korea intends to use a solid-fueled rocket. North Korea has tested more than 70 ballistic and cruise missiles this year, according to some experts, in a bid to modernize its arsenal and strengthen its negotiating position with the United States.

The launch came as North Korea's ruling party met in Pyongyang on Saturday to review past policies and set new objectives for 2023.

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According to some analysts, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will reiterate his pledge to increase his nuclear arsenal and introduce advanced weapons to counter what he perceives as US hostility.