North Korea appears to have launched a ballistic missile from a submarine off its east coast, South Korean officials say.

The missile was fired to the northeast of the coastal town of Sinpo.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile flew for about 19 miles (30km). A typical submarine-launched ballistic missile has a range of nearly 200 miles, it added.

North Korea has recently launched a number of missiles and artillery shells into the sea in an apparent response to joint US-South Korea military drills and sanctions over a nuclear test and a rocket launch carried out by Pyongyang.

It is widely believed to have been developing a submarine-based missile system for some time and attempted to fire such a missile last year.