US condemns N. Korea's missile launch as breach of UNSC resolutions

The U.N. Security Council members gather for a meeting at U.N. headquarters in New York City, Jan. 10. AFP-Yonhap

The United States on Sunday condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch as a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, while reiterating America's "ironclad" security commitment to South Korea and Japan.

The North fired an apparent intermediate-range ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sunday (Korea time) in its first missile launch this year, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"The United States condemns the DPRK's Jan. 14 ballistic missile launch," a State Department spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency via email. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"This launch, like the other ballistic missile launches (by) Pyongyang in recent years, is in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. It poses a threat to the DPRK's neighbors and undermines regional security," the official added.

The spokesperson also restated Washington's openness to diplomacy.

"We remain committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK and call on the DPRK to engage in dialogue," the official said. "Our commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad."

In a separate statement, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) said that the U.S. has been consulting closely with its allies and partners over the North's launch.

"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's illicit weapons program," USINDOPACOM said.

"The U.S. commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad. The ROK, Japan, and the U.S. trilaterally coordinated operations to ensure protection of their respective nations," it added. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. (Yonhap)