US condemns latest North Korea missile launches

Washington, July 2: The US condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launches this week, reaffirming its "ironclad" security commitment to South Korea.

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles with one of the launches having possibly failed, according to the South Korean military, reports Yonhap news agency.

"The US condemns the DPRK's June 30 ballistic missile launches (Washington time)," a State Department spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

"These launches, like all the DPRK's other ballistic missile launches in recent years, violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions. They pose a threat to regional and international peace and security and undermine the global nonproliferation regime," the spokesperson added.

The official also stressed close coordination with allies to deal with the North's provocative acts.

"We continue to consult closely with our allies and partners about how best to deter DPRK aggression and coordinate international responses to the DPRK's violations of multiple UN Security Council resolutions," the official said. "Our commitment to the defence of the Republic of Korea and Japan is ironclad."

The launch came a day after the North's foreign ministry denounced a joint naval exercise between South Korea, the US and Japan, saying the country would take "offensive and overwhelming" countermeasures against what it called an attempt to strengthen a military bloc.

The three countries conducted the first trilateral Freedom Edge exercise in international waters south of South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju last week.