US condemns N Korea missile test-fire, calls it 'provocation'

Washington, Aug 24: The US on Wednesday (Aug 24) strongly condemned North Korea's test firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, describing it as a "provocation" in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

"We strongly condemn this and North Korea's other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea's launches using ballistic missile technology," said Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross. Strongly condemning this missile test in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, the Pentagon termed the development as a "provocation".

"This provocation only serves to increase the international community's resolve to counter the DPRK's prohibited activities, including through implementing existing UN Security Council sanctions. "Multiple UN Security Council resolutions require the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme," he said.

The US intends to raise its concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding the DPRK accountable for these actions, Ross said. "Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," he said.

"We call on North Korea to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations," Ross said.

The US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) late last night said its systems detected and tracked what was assessed as a North Korean submarine missile launch at 3:29 PM CDT on August 23, 2016. The launch of a presumed KN-11 submarine-launched ballistic missile occurred off the coast of Sinpo, it said adding, it "did not pose a threat to North America".

The missile was tracked over and into the Sea of Japan, around 480 kilometres off the coast of North Korea. It comes amid threats from North Korea of nuclear retaliation in response to large-scale US-South Korean military drills.

PTI