North Korea blasts missiles towards Japan after UN hands down fresh sanctions

NORTH Korea has fired missiles into towards Japan just hours after the UN slapped down tougher sanctions on the rogue state.

   BLAST: North Korea fired the rockets into the Sea of Japan

The rockets were launched from the North’s east coast into the Sea of Japan.

South Korea's defence ministry said it was trying to determine if the projectiles were short-range missiles or artillery fire.

The move escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula.

   FIRED: It comes just hours after the UN slapped tougher sanctions on the state

They have been high since the North's nuclear test in January and a space rocket launch in February, sent the South's military on alert.

It comes after the UN’s Security Council voted to impose tough new sanctions on the isolated nation, while South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed to "end tyranny" by dumpy dictator Kim Jong-un.

Park has been tough in her response to Pyongyang’s recent actions, moving from her earlier self-described "trustpolitik" approach.

She welcomed the move by the Security Council and repeated her call for the North to change its behaviour.

Park said: ”We will cooperate with the world to make the North Korean regime abandon its reckless nuclear development and end tyranny that oppresses freedom and human rights of our brethren in the North.”

Seoul also adopted a long-delayed security law to set up an anti-espionage unit that was passed by parliament along with another law aimed at improving human rights in North Korea.

Last month, Seoul suspended the operation of a jointly run factory project with Pyongyang that had been the rivals' last remaining venue for regular interaction.

In its latest barrage of insults against the South's leader, the North's official media blasted Park as an "ugly female bat", fated to "die in the dreary cave, its body hanging down".

   POUND: North Korea launched a satellite into space last month

Pyongyang faces harsh new sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme under the resolution passed unanimously by the UN, drafted by the United States and backed by the North's main ally China.

The North says it was its sovereign right to launch rockets as part of a space programme to put satellites into orbit following the satellite launch in February.

A spokesman for South Korea's defence ministry said: "The South Korean military is monitoring any additional movements from the North."