The United States on Monday called on North Korea to “cease its unlawful and destabilizing activities” on the back of Pyongyang’s fourth missile test in January, said Ned Price, the spokesperson for the US Department of State, in a statement.

According to US allies South Korea and Japan, North Korea on Monday reportedly launched two “short range” ballistic missiles into the sea from an from an area in Sunan, near Pyongyang’s international airport, marking their fourth missile test, in a bid to demonstrate its military might.

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In view of the same, the US’ special representative on North Korea, Sung Kim “expressed concern” and asked North Korea to enter into dialogue “without any preconditions.”

“These launches are in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council Resolutions and pose a threat to the DPRK’s neighbors and the international community. We remain committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK and call on them to engage in dialogue,” Price added, reminding Pyongyang of its violations of international law.

Price further “reaffirmed the US’ commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, as well as its ironclad commitment to the defense of its allies,” via his statement.

Pyongyang’s reported ballistic missile tests on Monday followed two reported hypersonic missile tests on January 5 and 11. Pyongyang also reportedly test-fired more ballistic missiles from a train on Friday as a sign of retaliation against fresh sanctions imposed by US President Joe Biden last week.

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Experts say that North Korea’s attempts to flex its military might through repeated missile tests and outrageous threats is a tried-and-tested method of pressuring the US and its allies before entering negotiations and extracting concessions.

Indeed, since a US-led effort to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme failed in 2019 after the Trump administration refused to offer concessions from sanctions, Kim Jong-un has pledged to expand Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal, which experts believe, is North Korea’s best bet at survival amid growing international pressure.