Washington, DC (US)

The US Indo-Pacific Command on Saturday (local time) said it is aware of North Korea's recent missile launches and is closely consulting with allies and partners, adding that the launches do not pose an immediate threat.

In a statement posted on X, the US Indo-Pacific Command said, "We are aware of the missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to the defence of the US homeland and our allies in the region."

The statement came after North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards the East Sea earlier on Sunday (local time), South Korea's military said, marking Pyongyang's first weapons test of the year, Yonhap News reported.

According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were launched from areas near Pyongyang at around 7:50 am local time. The launches were detected as regional security remained on alert.

"Our military maintains a firm readiness posture while closely sharing North Korean ballistic missile information with the U.S. and Japan sides amid a heightened surveillance posture against additional launches," the JCS said in a statement.

The missile launch came at a sensitive time, as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was preparing to leave for Beijing for summit-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The timing also coincided with heightened global tensions following US President Donald Trump's announcement that Washington had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a large-scale military operation.

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North Korea's last missile test took place on November 7, when it fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the East Sea. That launch was the sixth ballistic missile test conducted by Pyongyang last year.