North Korea fires missile that lands near Russia

North Korea's test-firing of a ballistic missile constitutes a "threat to worldwide peace and security" as Pyongyang ratchets up tensions in the region, the European Union and NATO said on Sunday. Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada said the missile could be of a new type.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides field guidance at a construction site in this undated picture provided by KCNA, Pyongyang, March 16.

Haley added that the United States will "continue to tighten the screws", referring to sanctions and working with the worldwide community to put pressure on Pyongyang.

The White House also suggested that Russian Federation should be concerned.

The North has stepped up tests of its missile program in recent months, although several failures have been detected by South Korean and USA officials.

A statement from the White House called on all countries to implement stronger sanctions against North Korea.

Before Sunday, North Korea had attempted at least nine missile launches on six occasions since US President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January.

While it wasn't immediately clear what type of missile was launched, the U.S. Pacific Command said that "the flight is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile".

No sitting USA president has ever met with the leader of North Korea while in power, and the idea is extremely controversial. According to the US Army, the missile test was successful.

Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul said he estimated a standard trajectory would give it a range of 6,000 km (3,700 miles).

The missile followed its preset flight path to reach an altitude of 2,111.5 kilometres and travelled 787 kilometres, coming down at the "precise location intended", it added. "It is definitely concerning".

China's President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced concern over the launch, with Xi saying that both countries are playing an "important role as a balancing power" in seeking to defuse conflict both on the Korean peninsula, according to the

The North's launch took place as its biggest supporter, China, was hosting delegations from around the world at its "One Belt One Road" forum in Beijing.

Speaking on Sunday morning, Mr. Abe described the repeated missile launches as a "grave threat against Japan" and vowed to cooperate with the United States and South Korea.

This was the North's first missile test since a launch on April 29 that was considered a failure, with the unidentified projectile exploding a few minutes after liftoff.

South Korea's new president Moon held his first National Security Council in response to the launch, which he called a "clear violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions, his office said.

"The president expressed deep regret over the fact that this reckless provocation. occurred just days after a new government was launched in South Korea", senior presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan said.

China is North Korea's chief ally and is seen by many as the main means for applying greater pressure on Pyongyang regarding its weapons programs.

"In order to protect ourselves from possible incidents, we will keep our air defense systems in the Far East in a state of increased combat readiness", Viktor Ozerov, head of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, is quoted as saying. "North Korea's missile launch is a serious threat to Japan and clearly violate against the United Nations resolution".

Mr Trump has also said he would be "honoured" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right circumstances.

On Saturday, a top North Korean diplomat told reporters in Beijing that her country would be willing to open talks with the us, but did not elaborate on the country's conditions for opening communication.