MOSCOW, July 2 (RIA Novosti) - North Korea has conducted two test launches of short-range missiles, a South Korean news agency reported on Thursday.

According to Yonhap, two anti-ship missiles were launched from a coastal site near the port of Wonsan in the east of the country.

North Korea earlier closed for shipping its coastal waters off Wonsan from June 25 until July 10 due to military exercises in the area.

Japanese and South Korean intelligence sources have said the North appears to be preparing to test-launch two intercontinental ballistic missiles, in defiance of new UN sanctions.

Japan's Yomiuri daily has suggested, citing Defense Ministry analysis and U.S. intelligence, that North Korea may even launch a long-range ballistic missile toward the U.S. state of Hawaii in early July.

However, South Korean media said on Thursday there were no signs of the North preparing to launch long-range missiles in the near future.

The reclusive communist regime is banned from conducting nuclear tests or launches of ballistic missiles under the UN Resolution 1718, which was adopted following North Korea's first nuclear test on October 9, 2006.

However, Pyongyang carried out a second nuclear test on May 25 this year followed by a series of short-range missile launches, and has threatened to build up its nuclear arsenal to counter what it calls hostile U.S. policies.

The move led to the UN imposing new sanctions on North Korea banning the import and export of nuclear material and all weapons except small arms.