South Korea's military says North Korea has fired several ballistic missiles into the sea. The launch Monday happened hours after South Korean and U.S. troops kicked off their large annual combined drills,

South Korea's military said that Pyongyang fired multiple ballistic missiles off the west coast, just hours after South Korea and the US kicked off their annual military drills.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday, South Korea’s military said, hours after South Korean and U.S. troops kicked off their large annual combined drills, which the North views as an invasion rehearsal.

North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea after South Korean and U.S. troops began their large annual combined drills, Seoul said.

The modified Freedom Shield exercise, which combines computer simulations and field training and runs through March 20, still drew the condemnation of nuclear-armed North Korea.

The North Korea Foreign Ministry said U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises are "a dangerous provocative act," state media KCNA reported on Monday. Annual South Korean and U.S. military exercises called Freedom Shield are due to begin on Monday and run until March 20.