Cheong Wa Dae urges N. Korea to stop aggravating tensions with missile launches

South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae urged North Korea Monday to stop aggravating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after the communist nation fired what appears to be a short-range missile off its east coast for a third straight day.

"Whether it's a test-firing or armed demonstration, North Korea should not engage in tension-creating acts," Kim Jang-soo, head of the national security office, was quoted as saying by presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing.

Monday's launch of what is believed to be a KN-02 surface-to-surface missile was immediately reported to President Park Geun-hye. The national security office and the defense ministry are closely monitoring the situation, the spokeswoman said.