"The United States condemns these actions and calls on [North Korea] to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts," said the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in a statement shortly after the missile launch which came in response to South Korea's annual joint defense exercise with the U.S. which kicked off the same day and runs until March 20.
It was Pyongyang's first missile provocation since U.S. President Donald Trump began his non-consecutive second term in January.
Pointing out that the provocation "does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies," the command vowed it will "continue to monitor the situation," adding that "the U.S. commitments to the defense of [South Korea] and Japan remain ironclad."
Later in the day, the White House also reaffirmed its alliance with South Korea, saying "The U.S. is committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff here, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from Hwanghae Province toward the West Sea. They were believed to be ballistic missiles, with an estimated range of under 300 kilometers.
But North Korean state media remained mum about the launch until Tuesday, unlike its usual coverage the following day, which often includes exaggerated claims. Instead, it continued to condemn the joint exercise once again.
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