The United States has officially condemned North Korea’s recent ballistic missile tests, declaring them a breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a threat to both regional and international stability.
This condemnation comes in response to North Korea’s state media announcement that it conducted a successful test of a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a new “autonomous” navigation system on Friday.
A spokesperson from the US State Department emphasized the violation of international norms by these launches, responding to inquiries from Yonhap News Agency.
“The United States condemns the DPRK’s May 17 ballistic missile launches,” the spokesperson stated, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The spokesperson added that these actions by North Korea have consistently undermined global peace efforts and stressed that the United States holds no “hostile” intent towards North Korea. The focus remains on close coordination with allies such as South Korea and Japan, as well as other international partners, to address and deter North Korea’s provocations.
According to South Korea’s military, several short-range ballistic missiles were launched from Wonsan, a city on North Korea’s eastern coast, traveling approximately 300 kilometers before landing in the East Sea. These missile tests followed joint aerial drills conducted by South Korea and the U.S., featuring advanced stealth jets, aimed at demonstrating a united front against the growing military threats from North Korea.