'All options' on North Korea will be considered, warns Trump

US President Donald Trump warned that “all options are on the table” after North Korea launched a ballistic missile that flew over Japan early Tuesday morning.

“Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime’s isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table,” Trump said in a statement.

Pyongyang escalated a tense military stand-off in the region with the most aggressive step it has taken in almost 20 years.

[caption id="attachment_3438" align="aligncenter" width="500"] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after the test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14. ©KCNA/via REUTERS[/caption]

The Japanese government issued an alert for people in parts of Hokkaido, its second largest island, to take cover, putting residents on alarm and prompting an angry rebuke from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“A missile launch across Japan is an outrageous act that poses an unprecedented, grave and serious threat, and significantly undermines the peace and security of the region,” Mr Abe said.

“The government has lodged a firm protest against North Korea.”

Damage control

Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said the North Korean missile was launched at 5.58am local time and passed over Hokkaido at 6.06am. At 6.12am, the missile fell into the Pacific Ocean 1,180km east of Japan.

The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot it down.

The government had convened its National Security Council and was trying to ascertain whether there was any injury or damage from falling debris, Mr Suga said at an emergency press conference.

The White House said Trump spoke with Abe after the missile launch and committed to increasing pressure on North Korea.

“The two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as to countries around the world,” according to a US statement.

North Korea ‘approaching red line’

The UN Security Council will meet on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the missile launch, according to diplomats, WIC News understands.

Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, pointed out that the council’s resolutions “have clear provisions”.

South Korea also strongly condemned the launch and said it would respond if North Korea continued its military provocations. The presidential Blue House immediately convened a National Security Council meeting.

[caption id="attachment_4101" align="aligncenter" width="500"] ©REUTERS[/caption]

“We strongly condemn yet another provocation from the North,” the South Korean government said.

“The North should come out on the road toward talks as soon as possible in recognition of the fact that de-nuclearisation is the only way to security and economic development instead of seeking reckless provocations.”

Tuesday’s launch marks Pyongyang’s 18th missile test this year.

It has conducted five nuclear tests to date and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in warned earlier this month that its effort to develop a long-range nuclear missile was approaching “a red line”.