North Korea claimed, it carried out a successful test of its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) landing in the Sea of Japan. Some experts averred that the trajectory implies that the ICBM could potentially hit US mainland.
Officials from North Korea’s neighbour - South Korea, Japan and the United States said the missile had landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after being launched near an airfield in Panghyon, about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of the North's capital, Pyongyang.
North Korea has increased the frequency of its missile tests, raising tensions in the region.
The launch is coming on the heels of meeting of leaders from the Group of 20 nations in Germany. The leaders are due to discuss steps to rein in Pyongyang's weapons programs, which the North has pursued in defiance of U.N. Security Council and unilateral U.S. and South Korean sanctions.
North Korea is banned from testing or developing missiles under a series of U.N. resolutions. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has called on the UN Security Council to take steps against North Korea over its latest missile test. US President Donald Trump also responded swiftly on Tuesday to the missile launch.
On his Twitter account he made apparent reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying: "Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!"
He has repeatedly called on China, Pyongyang's closest economic ally, to pressure North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programmes.
Tokyo strongly protested against what it called a clear violation of UN resolutions banning Pyongyang from developing ballistic missile technology.
Japan said on Monday the United States, South Korea and Japan will have a trilateral summit on North Korea at the G20 meeting which will take place on July 7-8 meeting at Hamburg, Germany.
