Blinken condemns North Korean missile test in phone talks with Japanese FM

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 5. AP-Yonhap

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned North Korea's latest missile test in a telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Wednesday.

The two also discussed ways to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, according to the State Department.

"Secretary Blinken condemned the DPRK's ballistic missile launch and stressed the U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan remains ironclad," department spokesman Ned Price said of the call in a statement, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"They also discussed cooperation to achieve complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," the statement added.

North Korea announced Thursday (KST) that it had successfully test-fired a newly developed hypersonic ballistic missile. The launch marked the North's first missile test since October.

The State Department earlier condemned the missile test as a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and a threat to the international community.

The Blinken-Hayashi call came one day before the two are set to hold the annual U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting virtually, which will also involve U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi. (Yonhap)