U.S. condemns North Korea's ICBM launch, says State Dept

The United States condemned North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch which triggered an alert for residents in parts of Japan to seek shelter, a State Department spokesperson said in a statement late Wednesday Washington time.

"This action underscores the need for all countries to fully implement (North Korea) related UN Security Council resolutions, which are intended to prohibit (North Korea) from acquiring the technologies and materials needed to carry out these destabilizing tests," the statement said.