US-NK missile
U.S. condemns N. Korean missile launch as threat to peace
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The United States condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch on Thursday, calling it a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The condemnation came after North Korea fired an apparent short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea early Friday (Seoul time).
"The United States condemns the DPRK's ballistic missile launch," a state department spokesperson told Yonhap in an email, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"This launch, along with the others over the last month, are in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions unanimously adopted by the council and threaten peace and stability in the region," the spokesperson added.
The latest North Korean missile launch marked the eighth of its kind in less than three weeks.
Pyongyang has fired more than 40 ballistic missiles this year, the largest number of ballistic missile it launched in a single year.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a released statement that the latest North Korean missile launch did not pose any "immediate threat" to the U.S. or its allies.
"We will continue consulting closely with our allies and partners to monitor the DPRK's destabilizing ballistic missile launches," said the statement.
The state department spokesperson said the U.S. continues to seek "serious and sustained dialogue" with the North.
"But the DPRK refuses to engage," the official added.
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