North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile; White House Notes Proximity To Russia

North Korea launched a ballistic missile Sunday that travelled 430 miles and fell into the ocean, the New York Times reported. It was the first such launch since the recent election of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and it represents a continuing pattern of behavior that American leaders and their allies find deeply troubling. Experts believe the long-term goal of the nuclear-armed North Korea is to develop missiles that can reach the United States.

In response, the White House called for stronger sanctions to punish and constrain North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea,” it said in a statement. It also noted that the missile, which fell into the Sea of Japan, came closer to Russia than it did to Japan.

"The president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," the statement said. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tweeted Sunday, "There are no excuses that justify N. Korea's actions. This was close to home for Russia. China [cannot] expect dialogue. This threat is real."

Moon stressed the importance of dialogue with North Korea in a separate statement, but he added that it will only be possible if North Korea has a change in "attitude."

Read the full report at the New York Times.

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