The Combined Forces Command(CFC) said Friday that North Korea's missile launch on Thursday did not pose a direct threat to either South Korea or the United States and has no impact on their defense posture.

In a statement, the CFC said that it and U.S. Forces Korea are aware of the launch of the two short-range ballistic missiles carried out by North Korea, adding that it believes the regime was testing a new type of weapons technology.

The CFC's assessment that the missiles are not a direct threat to South Korea is expected to stir controversy as they appear to have the range to hit all parts of the Korean Peninsula.

A CFC official offered the explanation that North Korea's ballistic missile capability is "naturally" a threat, but what was meant was that Thursday's launch in particular was not a threatening situation.