US plays down North Korean missile launches, says open to dialogue

Washington: Senior Biden administration officials on Tuesday played down North Korean short-range missile launches last weekend and said US President Joe Biden is still open to a dialogue with North Korea.

Officials who briefed reporters on the missile launches said they were on the low end of the spectrum and not covered by various UN Security Council resolutions.

They said the Biden administration is close to a conclusion of its policy review of North Korea and that national security adviser Jake Sullivan will discuss it next week with his counterparts in Japan and South Korea.