WASHINGTON -- The United States on Wednesday dismissed speculation North Korea is preparing to test another ballistic missile this week following its first launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile early this month.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis did not confirm the reports, but emphasized the US is closely watching North Korea's movements with "great numbers of assets" focused on that task.
"We see in North Korea a bona fide research and development program that is not tied to a calendar," he told reporters. "It's aggressively pushing ahead with test launches wherever and whenever it can. That's our concern, not the date on the calendar they pick."
North Korea is widely reported to be preparing another ballistic missile test as early as Thursday, which falls on the anniversary of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
Davis said the reclusive regime has not followed the pattern of marking key dates with new missile or nuclear tests in the past year or so.
This photo provided by the US Department of Defense shows an aerial view of the Pentagon in Washington. (Yonhap)
MOST POPULAR