The White House condemned the Sunday launch of a long-range rocket by North Korea, expressing its commitment to security of regional allies.
Earlier Sunday, North Korea launched a long-range rocket from the country's northwest.
"We condemn today's launch and North Korea's determination to prioritize its missile and nuclear weapons programs over the well-being of its people, whose struggles only intensify with North Korea's diversion of scarce resources to such destabilizing activities," National Security Advisor Susan Rice said in a statement.
According to Rice, the launch is a "flagrant violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.
"The United States is fully committed to the security of our allies in the region, and we will take all necessary steps to defend ourselves and our allies and respond to North Korean provocations," Rice said.