U.S. reaffirms commitment to defense of S. Korea after N. Korean missile launch

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- The United States reaffirmed its "ironclad" commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan on Thursday, hours after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles in its latest provocation.

North Korea launched what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday (Seoul time).

"We are aware of the two ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners," U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) said in a released statement.

"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 unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," it added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Thursday's missile launch marked the third of its kind in less than a week.

Pyongyang fired a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday, followed by the launch of an additional two ballistic missiles fired on Wednesday.

The latest missile provocation also came as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris concluded her trip to South Korea earlier in the day.

"I cannot state enough that the commitment of the U.S. to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, and that we will do everything in our power to ensure that it has meaning in every way the words suggest," Harris told reporters after her tour to the Demilitarized Zone.

USINDOPACOM reiterated American commitment.

"The U.S. commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad," it said.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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