US diplomacy has condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launch amid a visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to South Korea.

The launches, “like previous ballistic missile launches in recent years, violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions,” a State Department spokesman said, adding that the weapons tests pose a “threat” to North Korea’s neighbors and “undermine regional security”.

“We remain committed to the diplomatic approach and invite North Korea to dialogue,” he continued. But it still remains firm “our commitment to the defense of Japan and South Korea.”

North Korea has launched ballistic missiles in the direction of the East Sea, also known as the Sea of ​​Japan, Seoul’s national defense general staff said earlier. Japan confirmed the tests.

The head of American diplomacy, who arrived last Sunday night in Seoul, met today, without the press present, with the South Korean president Yoon Sok-gil, according to his entourage.

He is participating in the third “democracy summit”, an initiative of US President Joe Biden, which is being hosted in Seoul the day after tomorrow. Government officials, NGO executives and members of the so-called civil society are present.

According to Seoul, the missiles that were fired traveled about 300 kilometers and were seen from 07:44 to 08:22 (local time; 00:44 to 01:22 Greek time). It was a “clear provocation,” the general staff said. Tokyo, for its part, reported that the rockets traveled some 350 kilometers and even reached a height of 50 kilometers.

Japan said at least two of the missiles landed in the sea, outside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Japanese prime minister condemned the launches, “a threat to peace and security in our region and internationally”, calling them “totally unacceptable”.

The new North Korean show of force follows the conclusion of 10 days of joint annual US and South Korean military exercises on Thursday.