U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says the situation surrounding North Korea’s recent provocations has not reached a point that would require a U.S. dispatch of additional troops to the Korean Peninsula.

Flying to Singapore to attend an annual regional security meeting, Gates said on Friday that no one in the Obama administration considers the situation a crisis.

Gates added that discussions of stronger sanctions on North Korea are expected in the meeting, as China and Russia have also voiced their discontent with the North’s nuclear test on Monday.

The U.S. State Department said it will send a delegation to related countries to discuss measures and responses to the North Korea situation.

Meanwhile, Japanese newspapers reported that Washington has decided to pursue financial sanctions and enhanced inspections of North Korean vessels in cooperation with South Korea, Japan, China and Russia.