Following North Korea rocket launch, U.S. reaffirms 'commitment' to defense of South Korea, Japan

The U.S. Department of State this week said the United States was re-affirming its defensive support of Japan and South Korea in the wake of another ballistics missile test from the autocratic Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea this week launched a ballistics missile into the Sea of Japan as a show of threatening braggadocio after a tripartite meeting between the U.S., Japan and South Korea at the East Asia Summit. 

In a statement on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the U.S. "condemns the DPRK’s ballistic missile launch."

"This launch is a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, and demonstrates the threat the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose to the DPRK’s neighbors, the region, international peace and security, and the global non-proliferation regime," Blinken said.

"Together, with the international community, we call on the DPRK to refrain from further provocations and engage in sustained and substantive dialogue," he continued, adding: "Our commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad."

North Korea this week issued a threat promising "serious, realistic and inevitable threat to the United States and its followers" if the U.S. and other countries continue with international military deterrence policies.