US prepared to deter N. Korean aggression, ensure regional stability: Pentagon

The United States will continue to work with its allies to deter any potential aggression by North Korea, a Pentagon spokesperson said Thursday, following reports that Pyongyang may be preparing to make various provocations, including a long-range missile test.

South Korea's spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, earlier noted that the North may test launch an intercontinental ballistic missile to protest against a trilateral summit between the leaders of South Korea, Japan and the United States, set to be held here in Washington on Friday.

"I am not going to comment on any potential intelligence in terms of what we think of North Korea may or may not be doing," the Pentagon spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, told a daily press briefing.

"We have been very clear that we are going to maintain robust communication with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies, as well as those other countries and partners and allies in the region, to make sure that we can deter potential aggression," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name.

Pyongyang has conducted a dozen ICBM tests since the start of last year, with its latest ICBM launch taking place on July 12.

A new ICBM test, if taken, will also come amid an annual South Korea-U.S joint military exercise which will be held from Monday through Aug. 31.

The defense department spokesperson emphasized that the joint military drills are defensive in nature.

"The exercises that we are doing ... those are defensive in nature, and they are meant to, again, enable our commitments, our alliance commitments and ensure that we can work together," he told the press briefing.

On a similar note, the Pentagon spokesperson noted that the upcoming trilateral summit is not aimed at countering any specific country, including China.

"It's not directed at any one particular nation," he said when asked about the trilateral summit, set to be held at Camp David.

"If there are nations that choose to try to use coercion and try to create instability or violate sovereign rights, we want to work together with nations to try to prevent that kind of activity," added Ryder.

The spokesperson also reaffirmed US commitment to engaging with North Korea in dialogue.

"The US government has in many occasions highlighted the fact that we are willing to engage diplomatically with North Korea without any preconditions," he said, adding the North has "chosen not to do that" to date.

When asked about Pvt. Travis King, a US Army service member who crossed the inter-Korean border into North Korea last month, the Pentagon spokesperson answered he had no new updates to provide, only saying, "Our priority remains Private King's well-being and efforts to get him home." (Yonhap)