U.S. urges North Korea to stick with diplomacy

The United States on Thursday urged North Korea to refrain from further provocations after the communist country test-fired two new short-range ballistic missiles and said it still hoped for a resumption of working-level talks on North Korea's denuclearization. Nathan Frandino reports.

The U.S. on Thursday urged North Korea to avoid making any more provocative moves, after Pyongyang conducted its second missile test in two months.

State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.

"We want to have diplomatic engagement and continue to urge the North Koreans to resolve all of things through diplomacy."

Earlier Thursday, the North fired off two short-range missiles that South Korea's National Security Council identified as a new type of projectile that poses a military threat to the peninsula.

The South's Defense Ministry spokesperson urged the North to halt the tests, which follow a pair of earlier launches in May.

Analysts said the test firing from the east coast city of Wonsan could jeopardize the recent decision by the U.S. and the North to revive stalled nuclear talks.

Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to the talks during a surprise meeting at the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas in June.

North Korea has since stepped up its criticism of the U.S. for its plan to hold joint military drills next month with South Korean forces. (Reuters)