"As the President says, it's time for them to behave, to listen to the world community and to set aside their nuclear ambitions, their ballistic missile ambitions, and be willing to join the family of nations", Pence told CNN Tuesday.
In the meantime, North Korea's deputy UN ambassador accused the United States of turning the Korean peninsula into "the world's biggest hotspot" and creating "a unsafe situation in which a thermonuclear war may break out at any moment".
Reports that President Trump is considering military action against North Korea - perhaps even a preemptive strike - have raised concerns about how he might respond to provocations from Kim Jong-un's regime.
Later, Mr Pence said in a joint statement, alongside South Korean acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn, that the United States' commitment to its ally is "iron-clad and immutable".
The alarming movement on the side of North Korea prompted the US government, under the novice President Donald Trump, to also show force by sending troops near North Korea.
North Korea's Ambassador to the United Nations Kim In Ryong said DPRK is "ready to react to any mode of war" desired by the U.S. and accuses the USA of using "gangster-like" logic.
While some diplomatic efforts played out openly between Mr. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Townsend said "we also ought to expect there's covert and clandestine activity on both sides".
By way of explanation, Trump said China is changing its stance on North Korea and he didn't want to jeopardize those actions by bringing up the economic issues.
Meanwhile, China made a plea for a return to negotiations. "But dialogue for the sake of having dialogue is meaningless".
Urging China and Russian Federation to play more constructive roles, he added: "We need to apply pressure on North Korea so they seriously respond to a dialogue [with the global community]".
Bill O'Reilly show axed amid sexual harassment scandal
This decision followed a New York Times story early this month detailing sexual assault lawsuits O'Reilly settled in the past. "But that is the unfortunate reality that many of us in the public eye must live with today".
South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, said in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that they would strengthen their alliance with the US and work with China in keeping North Korea in check.
He said that an "all-out war" would result if the United States took military action. He also pledged support and alliance to South Korea.
Mr Pence told reporters the North Korean people and military "should not mistake the resolve of the United States of America to stand with our allies".
"We should stay on our toes to protect our territory and people's lives", Hwang said.
This missile launch comes at a bad time as tension on the Korean Peninsula has consistently been rising.
After meeting with Abe, Pence held talks with Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso on a new U.S. -Japan "economic dialogue" to be led by the two.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said China had taken some "very helpful" steps, although it remained to be seen how effective these would be.
Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an intelligence matter, said the missile was a Scud variant that the USA calls a KN-17.
The advisor said there is still a problem to be solved before the THAAD battery is deployed and operational here and it will be decided by the next South Korean president.
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