North Korean missile launch 'risks destabilizing' the region, White House says

White House officials condemned North Korea for launching an intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday, saying it “needlessly raises tensions” and “risks destabilizing” the region.

Pyongyang test-fired its first ICBM in three months days after it threatened “shocking” consequences because of Washington’s military presence along the peninsula. The missile flew about 620 miles before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, South Korean and Japanese officials said.

“The United States strongly condemns the DPRK for its test of a long-range ballistic missile,” National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge said in a statement, using an abbreviated name for North Korea. “This action demonstrates that the DPRK continues to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people.”

North Korea has long lambasted the U.S. for its military ties with South Korea, deploying dozens of rockets over the past year in a show of protest.

The latest launch is a “brazen violation” of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, Hodge added. Despite the rising tensions, he said, Washington remains open to diplomacy with North Korean officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.