The U.S. government strongly condemned North Korea's test firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, or SLBM, off its eastern coast on Wednesday.
 
The U.S. Defense Department said it plans to raise concerns about the missile test at the UN.
 
Pentagon Spokesman Gary Ross said the U.S. calls on North Korea to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations.
 
Ross added that the U.S. defense of its allies, including South Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad.