South Korea, US, Japan Hold Consultations Over North Korea's Latest Missile Launches

(MENAFN- IANS) Seoul, Sep 21 (IANS) Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held telephone consultations on Monday to share information and discuss responses following North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

On Sunday, Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, marking the country's 14th ballistic missile launch of the year and the first in eight days, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at the ministry, spoke with David Wilezol, deputy assistant secretary for Northeast Asia at the US State Department, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry, according to the ministry.

"The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses," the ministry said in a release.

"The foreign affairs authorities of the three countries operate a channel for promptly sharing information and assessments whenever North Korea launches ballistic missiles," it added.

Sunday's launches appeared to have been in response to the multinational maritime exercise Pacific Vanguard, led by the US Navy's 7th Fleet, and other regional military activities, reports Xinhua news agency.

The move is also seen as an external message that Pyongyang will continue efforts to bolster its military capabilities ahead of the UN General Assembly session beginning Tuesday and a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for Thursday.

North Korea has continued its missile tests despite Trump's conciliatory gestures toward the North. Trump has also expressed willingness to resume dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Meanwhile, North Korean state media remained silent early Monday morning on the country's latest missile launches.

The Korean Central News Agency made no mention of Sunday's launch of two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, fired hours apart.

North Korea has typically reported its missile tests the following day, though that pattern has grown inconsistent in recent months.

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