S. Korea, US, Japan hold consultations over N. Korea's latest missile launches

Senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan held telephone consultations Tuesday to share information and discuss responses to North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, Seoul's foreign ministry said. On Monday, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The North said Tuesday it test-fired a "tactical" ballistic missile the previous day to verify technological improvements to a key component of its weapons systems. Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at Seoul's foreign ministry, spoke with David Wilezol, deputy assistant secretary for Northeast Asia at the U.S. State Department, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry, the ministry said. "The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses," the ministry said in a press release. "The foreign affairs authorities of the three countries operate a channel for promptly sharing information and assessments whenever North Korea launches ballistic missiles," it add