SEOUL, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired an unidentified projectile eastward, with the exact number yet to be confirmed, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Saturday.

The JCS is currently analyzing the specifications and range of the projectile.

The DPRK fired a ballistic missile into the eastern waters on Jan. 27. If the latest launch is confirmed to be a ballistic missile, it would mark the third launch this year.

The projectile firing came as South Korea and the United States were conducting joint military exercises, called Freedom Shield, scheduled to continue for 11 days through March 19.

Seoul and Washington have insisted that the joint drill is defensive in nature, but the DPRK has denounced it as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion. ■