North Korea Missile Program Advancing Faster Than Expected, South's Defense Minister Says

The missile was launched on an unusually high trajectory, with KCNA saying it flew to an altitude of 2,111.5 kilometres and travelled 787 kilometres before coming down in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). The test was reportedly a successful mid-to-long range launch.

The ruler also pledged further missile tests and nuclear detonations, despite repeated warnings by President Trump.

10am BST: The UN Security Council is expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the North's latest missile launch at the request of the US, South Korea and Japan.

The UN Security Council first imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 and has strengthened the measures in response to its five nuclear tests and two long-range rocket launches.

The reclusive North, which has defied all calls to rein in its weapons programs, has been working on a missile, mounted with a nuclear warhead, capable of striking the US mainland.

6am BST: Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said: "We will continue to closely coordinate with the United States and South Korea to respond to the North Korea situation".

South Korea's defense minister claimed Tuesday that the North's missile defense program was advancing much faster than originally believed and that the use of the USA -developed and installed THAAD anti-missile system had been used for the first time to detect the authoritarian regime's latest test, Reuters reported. North Korea, however, thus far has not displayed the capability to produce a nuclear warhead sufficiently compact to fly on its missiles. The missile called Hwasong-12 was sacked and flew at 787 kilometers (489 miles). But outside experts said Pyongyang seems to be still years away from doing so.

Council diplomats said the language was significant because China, North Korea's strongest ally, signed on.

Amid growing tensions over Pyongyang's array of missile tests, Beijing in February banned imports of North Korean coal citing United Nations resolutions for all of its measures against North Korea Coal is North Korea's main export and an important source of foreign currencies for its economy and China is its major importer.

This set of photos carried by North Korea's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun on May 15, 2017, shows a new North Korean mid-to-long-range ballistic missile, called the Hwasong-12, which was launched a day earlier.

But, he added: "We must stop intimidating North Korea and find a peaceful solution to this problem".

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ecstatic with the test launch, saying Monday that if the USA "dares opt for a military provocation" his nation is ready.

There are doubts whether the North can miniaturise a nuclear weapon sufficiently to fit it onto a missile nose cone, and no proof it has mastered the re-entry technology needed to ensure it survives returning into Earth's atmosphere.