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Department of Defense spokesperson Sabrina Singh is seen taking questions during a daily press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington on Wednesday in this captured image. (Yonhap) |
The United States' commitment to the defense and security of its allies remains strong and will not be shaken by military provocations staged by North Korea, a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday.
Sabrina Singh, deputy spokesperson for the Department of Defense, also reiterated that North Korea's missile launches, as well as claimed satellite launches, are in clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions when asked about Pyongyang's recent failed attempt to launch a claimed military reconnaissance satellite.
"What you have seen from North Korea within the last week or two weeks when you mentioned the satellite launch is that, again, these are clear violations of UN Security Council resolutions," she told a daily press briefing.
"It demonstrates DPRK's further use to destabilize and threaten peace and security in the region," she added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Pyongyang unsuccessfully launched a space launch vehicle carrying what it claimed to be a military satellite on May 31.
Still, the US and its key allies -- South Korea and Japan -- have strongly condemned the failed launch as a serious violation of UNSC resolutions that prohibit North Korea from acquiring or using any ballistic missile technology.
"Any DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, which would include SLVs used to launch a satellite into space, violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," a state department spokesperson said earlier.
North Korea has since announced plans to attempt a second space rocket launch in the future.
The Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment when asked if the US would seek to intercept North Korea's space rocket.
"The White House put out a readout of National Security Advisor (Jake) Sullivan's meeting with his counterparts in Japan and South Korea where he again, and we do from this podium, reaffirmed our commitment to the region," said Singh.
She added, "Our agreement between Japan and South Korea will not be shaken by the continuing destabilizing action that DPRK continues to take."
Singh highlighted the strength of joint defense readiness of the US and South Korea when asked about their combined missile defense system.
"I won't get into specifics from here, but as you know we continue to coordinate and conduct exercises with the South Koreans," she said. (Yonhap)
