President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea has called for negotiation amid rising concerns over the North’s escalating nuclear program.

Wednesday, North Korea launched two cruise missiles into the ocean off its western coast.

It is likely to be the country’s first launch since June 8, when eight short-range ballistic missiles were tested.

The most recent launch occurred as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol urged diplomacy to achieve a lasting peace between the adversaries amid rising tensions over the North’s escalating weapons development.

Mr. Yoon stated at a news conference on Wednesday that he opposes the use of force to bring about political change in North Korea and urged the North to return to diplomacy aimed at exchanging denuclearization steps for economic rewards.

The pleas for dialogue come amid threats of “deadly reprisal” voiced by Kim Jong Un’s sister, who blamed South Korean propaganda pamphlets found near the border for the coronavirus epidemic.

The missiles were launched from the town of Onchon on the west coast of South Korea early on Wednesday, according to a military source.

Range and altitude information were not immediately available.

South Korea and the United States began a four-day joint exercise on Tuesday.

This week, Kim Jong Un asserted that his nation is prepared to “accurately and rapidly” deploy its nuclear war deterrent.

He stated that the country was prepared for any potential military conflicts with both the United States and South Korea, criticizing South Korea’s new president, Mr. Yoon, for the first time and warned that Seoul was edging closer to war.

The address occurred on the 69th anniversary of the end of the Korean War of 1950-1953.