After two missile tests by the North Korean regime in the past few days, the American command for the Indo-Pacific region has ordered increased reconnaissance activities in the Yellow Sea and put the ballistic missile defense forces in the region on increased readiness.

Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said in Washington on Thursday that after analyzing the missile launches in late February and early March, it is assumed that it was a new intercontinental missile system that Pyongyang was developing.

Majid Sattar

Political correspondent for North America based in Washington.

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The tests would not have taken place at full range.

The purpose was probably "to evaluate this new system before a full-range test is carried out in the future".

Ruler Kim Jong-un presented the missiles in Pyongyang in October 2020, at that time they had not yet been tested.

A senior government official called the testing a "serious escalation" by North Korea in a briefing Thursday.

"These launches are a brazen violation of several UN Security Council resolutions." Unlike in the past, North Korea has tried to keep the nature of the missile tests secret.

It's unclear if the regime conducted the tests in the shadow of the Ukraine war, hoping the American military would be distracted in Europe.

According to the American government, the fact that the weapon, which was designed as an ICBM and with which Pyongyang would like to be able to reach American cities, was tested over short distances indicates that individual components of the missile still have to be tested and that the regime is not yet in able to present the final product.

With the revelation, Washington is pursuing the goal of preventing a more extensive test.

The intelligence findings were shared with the allies in the region and new sanctions are now being sought.

As a first step, the US Treasury Department wanted to announce new sanctions on Friday.

"There will be a number of other measures in the coming days," announced the government representative.

Seoul urged Pyongyang to immediately halt actions that fueled security concerns and increased tensions.