美国国防部长卡特说，平壤最近试射导弹提醒人们注意朝鲜半岛非常危险的局势。卡特是星期四抵达韩国的。
在离开日本前往韩国之前，卡特在横田空军基地对记者说，如果朝鲜发射导弹是送给他的“欢迎信号”，他会感到“荣幸”。
朝鲜本星期向其西部沿海发射了短程导弹。上星期五，朝鲜在一次类似的试射中发射了四枚导弹。
当美国官员访问该地区之前，或平壤与韩国之间的关系趋于紧张之际，朝鲜经常会试射导弹。
星期四，韩国国防部将朝鲜本星期试射导弹称为“例行公事”，并表示此举并不构成对韩国安全的严重威胁。
韩国官员还说，朝鲜试射导弹看来是对美韩举行代号为“雏鹰”的联合军演做出的反应。
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, who arrived in South Korea on Thursday, says Pyongyang's recent missiles tests are a reminder of how dangerous the situation is on the Korean peninsula.
Speaking at Yokota Air Base in Japan before departing for South Korea, Carter told reporters he was "flattered" if the North Korean missile launches were meant to be a "welcome message" for him.
The short-range missiles were launched this week into the sea off North Korea's west coast. North Korea also fired four missiles in a similar test last Friday.
It is not unusual for the North to conduct such tests ahead of visits to the region by U.S. officials or during moments of heightened tension with its foe, South Korea.
Seoul's defense ministry on Thursday called this week's test routine and said the projectiles did not represent a serious security threat to South Korea.
South Korean officials have also said the launches appear to be a response to the ongoing Foal Eagle joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea.
