▲ North Korea test-fires the Hwasong-11 Ra surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile at an unspecified location on April 19, 2026, to verify the characteristics and power of a cluster bomb warhead and fragmentation mine warhead applied to the tactical ballistic missile, in this file photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) the next day. Leader Kim Jong-un observed the test and expressed satisfaction with the performance of the missile's warhead capability, the KCNA said a day after South Korea's military detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched toward the East Sea at around 6:10 a.m. from North Korea's Sinpho area. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held telephone consultations Monday to share information and discuss responses following North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

On Sunday, Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, marking the country's 14th ballistic missile launch of the year and the first in eight days, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at the 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, according to the ministry.

"The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses," the ministry said in a 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 added.

Sunday's launches appeared to have been in response to multinational maritime exercise Pacific Vanguard, led by the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, and other regional military activities.

The move is also seen as an external message that Pyongyang will continue efforts to bolster its military capabilities ahead of the U.N. General Assembly session beginning Tuesday and a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for Thursday.

North Korea has continued its missile tests despite Trump's conciliatory gestures toward the North. Trump has also expressed willingness to resume dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

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