North Korea conducts third test launch in recent weeks

North Korea has reportedly conducted its third test launch in recent weeks, firing at least one projectile into the Sea of Japan, multiple news outlets reported Thursday.

ABC News reported citing a U.S. official that the projectile was launched Friday local time and was similar to two launched by North Korea earlier this week.

A U.S. official also told CNN that an initial assessment was that North Korea had launched two short-range ballistic missiles.

#breaking A second US official tells @barbarastarrcnn the initial assessment is North Korea just launched two short range ballistic missiles. It’s the second launch in one week, and the third launch in two weeks.

— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) August 1, 2019

Officials told NBC News that the missiles landed in the sea and that there is no immediate threat to the U.S. or any of its allies in the region.{mosads}

Trump told reporters when asked about the reported launch that he was unbothered given the type of reported missiles used.

“Short-range missiles, we never made an agreement on that. I have no problem,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. But these are short-range missiles, they’re very standard.”

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff previously said that North Korea had launched two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Wednesday.

However, North Korea said Thursday that it had tested a new rocket system the previous day, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the incident Wednesday was “no threat to Japanese national security,” and the country’s defense minister indicated it did not get close to the islands.

Friday’s launch reportedly appears to be short-range as well. 

U.S. officials have credited the spike in tests to U.S.-South Korea joint exercises planned for later this month.

The three tests mark the first for North Korea since Trump visited the country in June.

The president has repeatedly expressed confidence in his ability to reach a denuclearization deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but has failed to reach a deal at two summits between the leaders.

One earlier this year in Vietnam ended abruptly with no agreement reached.

Updated at 4:28 p.m.