North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides the 3rd Meeting of Activists of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in the Movement for Winning the Title of O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on August 4, 2016. KCNA/ via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S., South Korean and Japanese defence officials on Thursday condemned North Korea’s recent missile launches as “provocative acts” that posed “a serious threat to peace and stability.”

The statement was issued by the Pentagon after a video conference meeting of the defence officials from the three countries. On Wednesday, North Korea launched a ballistic missile that landed in or near Japanese-controlled waters for the first time, the latest in a series of launches by the isolated country.