SEOUL (REUTERS) - North Korea likely aimed to show off its ability to precisely target a large enemy warship with its launch on Thursday (June 8) of what appeared to be several land-to-ship missiles, South Korea's military said.

By testing different types of missiles, the North may be trying to gain the upper hand in relations with South Korea and the United States, a spokesman for the South Korean military told a briefing.

The north fired what appeared to be multiple land-to-ship missiles off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea's military said, the latest in a fast-paced series of missile tests defying world pressure and threats of more sanctions.

The launch is the fourth missile test by the North since South Korean President Moon Jae In took office on May 10 pledging to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang, and the first since the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed new sanctions against North Korea last week.

The projectiles were launched on Thursday morning from the North Korean coastal city of Wonsan, South Korea's Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. It said the missiles flew about 200km.

Moon has been briefed on the latest launch, the military said, declining to give further details.

A US defence official told CNN that the Pentagon is not expected to release the typical statement about tracking the launches because these were not ballistic missile capable of posing a long-range threat.