US calls for stronger sanctions against North Korea

The White House today described a ballistic missile test by North Korea as a provocative behaviour and called for stronger sanctions against Pyongyang.

"Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement.

The US Pacific Command detected and tracked a North Korean missile launch at approximately 10:30 AM (Hawaii time) Saturday.

The missile was launched near Kusung and landed in the Sea of Japan, PACOM said, adding that the type of missile is being assessed and the flight was not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile.

"With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil – in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan – the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased," Spicer said.

"North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long.

South Korea and Japan have been watching this situation closely with us," he said.

He said the US maintains its ironclad commitment to stand with its allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea.