Pompeo: NKorea missiles don't impact negotiations

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday downplayed North Korea's latest missile launches, saying they won't alter the prospects for negotiations on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons.

One day after North Korea called a new round of short-range missiles a "warning" against joint US-South Korea military exercises, Pompeo told reporters that it didn't impact Washington's approach to the region.

The latest launches were the fourth pair of projectiles fired in less than two weeks by the North. They came after the South Korean and US militaries began mainly computer-simulated joint exercises on Monday to test Seoul's ability to take operational control in wartime.

Asked if the missile launches dampened the environment for negotiations on denuclearization, Pompeo replied "No." "President Trump's administration strategy with respect to North Korea hasn't changed," he said.

"Our effort is to achieve the full, final denuclearization of North Korea. We are hopeful that in the coming weeks we ...