South Korea and the United States fired eight more missiles into waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast Monday morning in response to North Korea's launch of eight missiles on Sunday.

According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), seven South Korean missiles were fired while the USA launched one. Officials said they "demonstrated" the capacity and preparedness of both countries to "immediately strike with precision" even if North Korea launched missiles from various locations, as per a CNN report.

JCS claimed North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles into waters east of the Korean peninsula on Sunday, calling the activities a "serious provocation" that threatens the peace and stability of not only the peninsula but also the international community, Al Jazeera reported.

South Korea Changes Tone Over North Korean Aggression

The missile exchange comes as North Korea escalates its regional provocations, raising fears that Pyongyang is planning a nuclear test for the first time since 2017.

It also comes after the election of new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office on May 10, and a shift in Seoul's tone toward North Korean aggression. Yoon has emphasized his stronger position on North Korea and desires to boost South Korea's military, in contrast to his predecessor Moon Jae-in, who advocated for diplomacy and peaceful reconciliation.

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During an address commemorating South Korea's Memorial Day on Monday, the president promised to reply "firmly and sternly" to North Korean provocations.

South Korean President Yoon said his administration would change its approach on South Korea-North Korea relations

and would pursue "fundamental and practical security capabilities" to fight North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat during a speech commemorating the country's Memorial Day on Monday, per a report from AP.  

He said at the National Cemetery in Seoul: "North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs have grown to a point where they are not only a threat to the Korean Peninsula but Northeast Asia and world peace."

Yoon added that his administration would "sternly respond" to any type of provocation North Korea would make.

The launch on Sunday was North Korea's third missile test since Yoon took office and the 17th this year.

Japan Blasts North Korea's Missile Launches 

The latest North Korean launch was also "strongly protested" by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who told reporters Sunday that it was a gross violation of UN resolutions, while Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi described it as "unprecedented" and stated that at least six missiles fired by North Korea had landed outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone.

The US and South Korean troops performed a similar live-fire training following North Korea's earlier missile launches on May 25. Pyongyang launched an ICBM on a medium-range trajectory and two short-range weapons. These tests came as Biden was wrapping up a tour to South Korea and Japan, reiterating the United States' support for both allies.

Last week, the United States called for more UN sanctions against North Korea because of its record ballistic missile launches, but China and Russia vetoed the proposal, publicly dividing the UN Security Council on North Korea for the first time since it began penalizing the country in 2006 when it performed its first nuclear test.

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