North Korea fired up to two short-range missiles off its west coast today, said US and South Korean officials, prompting quick US criticism of Pyongyang over the second such launch in as many weeks.
The launch occurred a day after US president George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed at a bilateral meeting there were limits to their patience with Pyongyang's failure to honour a nuclear disarmament agreement.
"What I have been advised is that it (was) a cruise missile test," White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters. "We saw I think in the last week or 10 days a similar test."
A South Korean defence ministry official confirmed reclusive communist North Korea had fired at least one missile but could not specify the exact number or type.
White House National Security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said North Korea's missile test activity was "not constructive" and Pyongyang should focus on dismantling its nuclear programme.
"The United States and our allies believe that North Korea should refrain from testing missiles," Johndroe said in a statement to reporters on the sidelines of the Group of Eight (G8) summit in Heiligendamm, Germany.
North Korea fired a barrage of long and short range missiles last year, triggering United Nations sanctions. It drew more punitive measures with its first nuclear test in October.
Military experts have voiced concern about North Korea's firing of long-range missiles, which could carry a nuclear warhead to Alaska or possibly other parts of the United States.