U.S. gives normal response to N. Korea's firing of 25 rockets

Responding to North Korea's reported launch of more than two dozen rockets in a single day, the Obama administration continued to urge the communist nation to exercise restraint.

"We are aware of reports that North Korea fired a number of rockets into the sea. We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula," Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for the State Department, said Sunday in an emailed statement.

North Korea test-launched a total of 25 short-range missiles from its east coast on Sunday morning (Washington time), according to South Korea's defense ministry.

Pyongyang's move is widely viewed as another attempt to demonstrate its military force against the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint defense drills.

In the three-paragraph statement, Psaki added, "We once again call on North Korea to refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions."

She used almost the same wording as in her formal response to days of missile tests by North Korea in early March.

Her department, meanwhile, had no press briefing on the holiday and the Pentagon remained silent about the reports of Pyongyang's renewed provocations. (Yonhap)