The U.S. Defense Department said on Thursday that North Korea's two recent missile launches were preliminary tests for a new intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) system ahead of a possible full-range test.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said in a briefing that the U.S. government came to the conclusion after close analysis of the North's two ballistic missile tests on February 27 and March 5, Korea time.

The press secretary said that the Kim Jong-un regime first showcased the new ICBM system during a military parade that marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party on October 10, 2020 and again at a major weapons expo in October last year.

The latest rounds of tests did not demonstrate the range or capability of an ICBM, Kirby said, adding that the North appears to have conducted the launches to test various elements of the new system ahead of a full-range launch.

The senior official said the U.S. conducted the analysis through close consultation with South Korea and Japan and shared it with its allies and partners including the United Nations.

Separately, a senior Biden administration official said that the U.S. Treasury will impose new sanctions to block the North's access to items and technology for advancing its weapons programs. The official, however, said the U.S. remains committed to diplomacy and ready to meet with the North without any preconditions.