North Korea conducts a missile test attended by leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to a navy unit, in this photo captured from North Korea's Central TV, Aug. 21. Yonhap

North Korea launched several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea on Saturday, according to the military, days after South Korea and the United States wrapped up their major joint exercise.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced the launches took place at around 4 a.m., but did not elaborate further, pending an analysis.

"While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.

South Korea and the U.S. wrapped up the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, Thursday. The North denounced the drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

As part of the UFS, South Korea and the U.S. staged combined air drills, involving at least one U.S. B-1B strategic bomber, above the Korean Peninsula.

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In response, North Korea launched a military command post drill involving the scenario of occupying South Korean territory and fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its east coast earlier this week.

The North claimed the missile launch Wednesday night was a tactical nuclear strike drill simulating "scorched-earth" strikes against major command centers and airfields in South Korea.

In March, North Korea said it launched strategic cruise missiles "tipped with a test warhead simulating a nuclear weapon."

At that time, the North's state media said two "Hwasal-1"-type strategic cruise missiles and two "Hwasal-2"-type strategic cruise missiles, launched from South Hamgyong Province, accurately hit targets set up in the East Sea. (Yonhap)