BREAKING NEWS

N. Korea tests ballistic missile; US to avoid escalation

By REUTERS

FEBRUARY 12, 2017 07:23

Updated: FEBRUARY 12, 2017 07:26

SEOUL/WASHINGTON - North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast early on Sunday, the first such test since US President Donald Trump was elected, and his administration indicated that Washington would have a calibrated response to avoid escalating tensions.

The test was of a medium- or intermediate-range missile that landed in the Sea of Japan, according to the US defense department, not an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which the North has said it could test at any time.

The launch marks the first test of Trump's vow to get tough on a North Korean regime that last year tested nuclear devices and ballistic missiles at an unprecedented rate in violation of United Nations resolutions.

A US official said the Trump administration had been expecting a North Korean "provocation" soon after taking office and will consider a full range of options in a response, but these would be calibrated to show US resolve while avoiding escalation.

The new administration is also likely to step up pressure on China to rein in North Korea, reflecting Trump's previously stated view that Beijing has not done enough on this front, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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