Pentagon chief discusses North Korean threat with Japan, South Korea

This photo provided by the North Korean government shows missiles during a military parade marking the ruling party congress, at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan 14, 2021. - AP

WASHINGTON (Reuters): US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke on Wednesday (Feb 9) with the defence ministers of South Korea and Japan about the threats posed by North Korea after missile launches by Pyongyang, the Pentagon said.

International tension has been rising over a series of North Korean ballistic missile tests, actions long banned by the UN Security Council. January was a record month of such tests, with at least seven launches including a new type of "hypersonic missile" able to maneuver at high speed.