Defense ministry condemns N. Korea's launch of short-range ballistic missile

North Korea fires a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile, Jan. 6, in this file photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the following day. Yonhap

South Korea's defense ministry "strongly denounced" North' Korea, Saturday, over a suspected ballistic missile launch, calling for the North to halt acts that heighten tension between the Koreas.

"The South's military strongly condemns the recent ballistic missile launch by the North, and expresses deep regret for the (North's) statement denouncing South Korea-U.S. annual exercises and conference," the ministry said in a notice to the press.

It also called on North Korea to "immediately halt" all acts heightening tensions on the peninsula.

The statement came a day after Pyongyang launched one suspected short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea, Friday, a day after it warned of "proper measures" against the latest U.S. sanctions.

In a separate statement, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) also said it is aware of the North's ballistic missile launch and its pursuit of long-range missile capabilities.

"We are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea. Our focus is on maintaining the readiness required to defend the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region," the USFK said.

Meanwhile, North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol denounced the annual security talks between South Korea and the United States as an "intentional" expression of the allies' "hostile" nature against it, vowing to take "more offensive" actions against enemy threats.

No's remarks came as the defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. held the Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul, Tuesday, to discuss key alliance and defense issues.