Pentagon vows ‘ironclad’ defence of South Korea and Japan after North Korean missile launch

The US Defence Department has committed to the “ironclad” defence of its Asian allies in the face of North Korea’s provocative series of missile tests, including Tuesday’s launch over Hokkaido in northern Japan.

The Pentagon said the launch of the ballistic missile posed no threat to North America.

“Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM),” Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Logan, a Pentagon spokesman said in an email to the South China Morning Post on Tuesday. “We are working with our inter-agency partners on a more detailed assessment and we will provide a public update if warranted.”

Logan added: “The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) determined this ballistic missile launch did not pose a threat to North America. US Pacific Command determined this ballistic missile launch did not pose a threat to Guam. We continue to monitor North Korea’s actions closely,”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly reviewed the launch of the missile, said Pyongyang’s state media KCNA, describing it as a “prelude” to containing the US Pacific territory of Guam.