Seoul, Washington to 'prudently' handle Pyongyang's latest missiles

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers a reporter's question during a meeting with members of foreign media in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 3, 2019. AP-Yonhap

In this file photo taken on July 25, 2018, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies during a hearing before Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, DC. AFP-Yonhap

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed Saturday to "prudently" handle North Korea's launch of short-range projectiles during their telephone talks, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke by phone hours after the North fired the projectiles into the East Sea in an apparent show of growing impatience over stalled nuclear negotiations with Washington.

"Regarding today's launch, the two sides agreed to prudently deal with it and continue to communicate while continuing additional analysis (of the launch)," the ministry said in a text message sent to reporters.

Cheong Wa Dae concerned about North Korea's breach of inter-Korean military deal 2019-05-04 17:29  |  North Korea Trump urges Putin to keep pressure on Pyongyang 2019-05-04 15:44  |  North Korea North Korea fires short-range missiles for first time since 2017 2019-05-04 10:52  |  North Korea Lee Do-hoon, the ministry's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, also held phone talks.

Biegun is set to visit Seoul next Thursday and Friday following a two-day stay in Tokyo, according to the State Department.

Kang also held a telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono over Pyongyang's move, vowing to respond "with discretion" to the latest development and to continue to communicate, the Seoul ministry said.

Lee also spoke with his Japanese counterpart, Kenji Kanasugi, via phone and exchanged opinions on the current situation, it noted. (Yonhap)

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