WASHINGTON– The United States condemns North Korea’s ballistic missile launches and calls on Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, a state department spokesperson said Monday.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Monday (Korea time), two days after it fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
“These launches, alongside the DPRK’s ICBM test … are in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to the DPRK’s neighbors and the international community,” the state department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in an email.
“We remain committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK and call on the DPRK to engage in dialogue,” the spokesperson added.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s official name.
The North’s latest missile launches followed an unprecedented 69 ballistic missile tests by North Korea in 2022 that far surpassed the country’s previous record of 25 ballistic missiles fired in a year.
Pyongyang blamed the U.S.’ plan to increase the “frequency” and scale of deploying U.S. strategic assets to South Korea for its latest missile launches.
The state department spokesperson reaffirmed the U.S.’ security commitment to South Korea.
“Our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad,” the spokesperson said, referring to South Korea by its official name.
Source: Yonhap News Agency