Seoul, March 26 (IANS): North Korea fired off two medium-range ballistic missiles Wednesday morning in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, South Korea's defence ministry said.

Defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told an emergency press briefing that North Korea launched two ballistic missiles, believed to be of the Rodong class, between 2.35 a.m. and 2.42 a.m. from the Sukcheon region, north of Pyongyang, toward waters off the eastern coast, Xinhua reported.

The missiles, which flew around 650 km, were launched for the first time in around five years.

North Korea fired off the Rodong missiles twice in July 2009 and July 2006, the report said.

The Rodong missile is known to have a range of 1,300 km with nuclear warhead loaded.

This time, the missiles were fired from mobile launchers known as the transporter-erector-launcher(TEL).

The spokesman said that it was a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, calling it a grave provocation to South Korea and the international community.