The U.S. State Department has called on North Korea to avoid provocations and return to nuclear talks, after the North fired three short-range projectiles on Monday.  

A department official told Yonhap News on Monday that the U.S. continues to call on North Korea to avoid provocations, abide by obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolutions, and return to sustained and substantive negotiations to do its part to achieve complete denuclearization.

The official added that the U.S. is currently assessing the situation. 

North Korea on Monday fired three short-range projectiles into the East Sea from its eastern town of Sondok in South Hamgyong Province. It was the second-such launch in a week. 

Soon after the launches, a senior U.S. official said Washington was aware of reports of the incident and the U.S. continues to monitor the situation and is consulting with its allies, South Korea and Japan.