SEOUL, July 31 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.

The two missiles were launched at 5:06 a.m. and 5:27 a.m. local time each near the DPRK's eastern city of Wonsan, traveling about 250 km at an altitude of some 30 km.

The South Korean military was maintaining defense posture, while monitoring relevant situations in preparation for a possibly additional missile launch, the JCS said.

The DPRK's new move came less than a week after the country's launch of two short-range ballistic missiles that were fired near the same Wonsan area.