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 condemned combined South Korea-US military exercises that began on Monday as a “dangerous provocative act”, citing the risk of an accidental shooting sparking a physical

Two South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area during training, injuring at least eight people, officials said.

The South Korean military said the accident near the North Korean border occurred during training ahead of Freedom Shield, an annual U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise.

North Korea fired "multiple unidentified ballistic missiles" into the sea on Monday, the same day South Korea and the US began a major joint military drill. View on euronews

South Korea's suspension of some military drills after its fighter jets' accidental bombing of a civilian area may hinder its upcoming annual military training with the United States.

At least 15 people were injured after South Korean fighter jets involved in a live-fire drill dropped bombs on Pocheon, Seoul's military said.

South Korean and U.S. militaries halted all live-fire exercises across South Korea after South Korean jets mistakenly released bombs on a civilian area.