Trump says DPRK testing not "breach of trust"

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said Pyongyang's recent weapon tests were "very standard" and not "a breach of trust," U.S. media reported.

This combination of files pictures made on April 18, 2019, shows US President Donald Trump (L) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (R) smiling during a bilateral meeting on February 28, 2019. [File Photo: AFP]

"They're short-range and I don't consider that a breach of trust at all," Trump said in an interview with POLITICO.

"These were short-range missiles and very standard stuff. Very standard," Trump added.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched two projectiles from its northwestern region Thursday afternoon. Days earlier, the DPRK fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast.

U.S. acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said Thursday that Washington understood what Pyongyang has fired. "But we're going to stick to our diplomacy," he said.

"We haven't changed our operations or our posture, and we'll continue to generate the readiness we need in case diplomacy fails," said the Pentagon acting chief.

Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for the DPRK affairs, said Friday in Seoul that the door remained open for the DPRK's return to negotiations.

DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday that top leader Kim Jong Un guided the strike drill of the Korean People's Army defense units on a couple of fronts.