North Korea fired 16 short-range rockets from its east coast early Sunday for a second straight day, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, the latest in a series of provocative launches that are in apparent protest of ongoing joint military drills between Seoul and Washington.

   The North fired 30 FROG ground-to-ground rockets from the eastern city of Wonsan, the same test site, early Saturday, without making a pre-announcement for civilian flights or vessels.

   The North launched the same type of rockets over two times between 00:52 a.m. and 2:31 a.m. Sunday, which flew about 60 kilometers into the sea, according to the military.

   "The military has maintained vigilance against additional launches," the JCS said.     

   Pyongyang has fired a spate of Scud ballistic missiles and artillery using multiple rocket launchers from its east coast since late February, in apparent protest against ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint military drills. The communist-state claimed the launches were for the purpose of "self-defense."

   The two-week war game Key Resolve ended in early March, while the two-month field training Foal Eagle runs through April 18.

   The North has denounced the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion, while Seoul and Washington have said they are defensive in nature. (Yonhap)