N.Korea Launches Missiles from Submarine

North Korea launched two missiles from a submarine on Sunday morning soon after threatening "more effective, powerful and offensive use of the war deterrent." 

The launch coincided with the start of massive military drills by South Korea and the U.S. on Monday. 

The North's official Korean Central News Agency said on Monday the country launched two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine off Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province into the East Sea. It claimed they flew some 1,500 km over two hours in a figure-of-eight before precisely hitting their targets.  

The Joint Chiefs of Staff here confirmed the launch and said they are analyzing the type and trajectories of the missiles.  

On Sunday, state media reported that leader Kim Jong-un chaired a meeting of the Workers Party's Central Military Commission as South Korea and the U.S. got ready to start the "Freedom Shield" exercise. 

"The meeting discussed and adopted the important practical steps for making more effective, powerful and offensive use of the war deterrent of the country in coping with the present situation in which the war provocations of the U.S. and South Korea are reaching the red-line," it said. 

The drills, which last until March 22, include special ops training and practice for stabilizing North Korea after an invasion and managing streams of refugees.