SEOUL/PYONGYANG (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned North Korea on Monday that recent American military strikes in Syria and Afghanistan showed President Donald Trump’s resolve should not be questioned, but Pyongyang vowed to continue missile and nuclear tests.

After a huge display of missiles in Pyongyang and a failed North Korean missile test during the weekend, U.S. officials praised China for stepping up efforts to rein in North Korea, Beijing’s neighbor and ally.

But Pence and South Korea’s acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, said they would proceed with the early deployment to South Korea of the U.S. THAAD missile-defense system, in spite of Chinese objections.

At a White House Easter celebration on Monday, Trump was asked if he had a message for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and replied: “Gotta behave.”

But senior North Korean officials remained defiant.

North Korea’s deputy representative to the United Nations, Kim In Ryong, accused Washington of creating “a situation where nuclear war could break out an any time” and said Pyongyang’s next nuclear test would take place “at a time and at a place where our headquarters deems necessary.”

(Graphic - Carl Vinson strike group: tmsnrt.rs/2pqOMWA)

(Graphic - North Korea's nuclear program: tmsnrt.rs/2n0gd92)

North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Han Song-Ryol told the BBC that missiles would continue to be tested on “a weekly, monthly and yearly basis.”

Kim Song Gyong, director general of the European Department of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, told Reuters in Pyongyang that if Washington made “the slightest movement” to make a nuclear strike on North Korea, Pyongyang would strike first and “destroy the aggressors without any mercy.”

He went on to clarify that the approach of a U.S. naval strike force led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to Korean waters would not be considered enough to constitute “the slightest movement”.

Korean tensions have escalated following repeated North Korean missile tests and concerns that Pyongyang may soon conduct a sixth nuclear bomb test in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Washington is increasingly worried about North Korean efforts to develop a nuclear-tipped missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.

Speaking alongside Hwang, Pence said the world had witnessed Trump’s resolve in the past two weeks, which saw a U.S. missile attack on a Syrian airfield and the dropping of a powerful non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State in Afghanistan.

“North Korea would do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region,” Pence said on what was his first stop of a four-nation Asia tour intended to show that Trump is not turning his back on the increasingly volatile part of the world.

Pence, whose father served in the 1950-53 Korean War, visited the North-South border on Monday and said Washington would stand by its “ironclad alliance” with South Korea.

“All options are on the table to achieve the objectives and ensure the stability of the people of this country,” he told reporters as tinny propaganda music floated across from the North Korean side of the so-called demilitarized zone (DMZ).

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence stands next to his daughter looking toward the north through a pair of binocular from an observation post inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, April 17, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

The Trump administration has said that military action remains an option for dealing with North Korea.

But mindful that this would likely trigger massive retaliation and casualties in South Korea and Japan and among U.S. troops there, U.S. officials say the Trump administration’s main focus is on tougher economic sanctions to try to get Pyongyang to abandon its weapons programs.

Trump himself, when asked on Monday if he was considering military action, told Fox News Channel he didn’t want to “telegraph” his plans like the previous administration.

“We’ll see what happens. I hope things work out well,” he said but added that the United States had tried to engage the North Koreans in talks for a long time.

On Sunday, Trump’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, said that the United States, its allies and China were working on a range of responses to North Korea’s latest missile test, citing what he called an international consensus to act.

He indicated Trump was not considering military action for now, despite the dispatch the carrier group.

U.S. officials say tougher sanctions could include an oil embargo, a global ban on North Korea’s airline, intercepting cargo ships and punishing Chinese banks doing business with Pyongyang. They say greater Chinese cooperation is vital.

NO ‘RED LINES’

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said China had taken some “very helpful” steps, although it remained to be seen how effective these would be. Asked if Trump had a “red line” on North Korea, Spicer said the president did not believe these worked.

Susan Thornton, acting U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and China’s top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, agreed in a phone call on Sunday on the need for strict enforcement of U.N. resolutions and for international action to press Pyongyang “to cease provocative actions and recommit to peaceful denuclearization.”

Thornton said any new North Korean nuclear test “would draw a pretty significant international response.”

“We’re definitely not seeking conflict or regime change,” she said. “But we are committed to defending our people and our allies should it be necessary.”

Pence is expected to discuss Korean tensions with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday when he travels to Tokyo for economic talks with Finance Minister Taro Aso. He will also visit Jakarta and Sydney.

His economic discussions will be closely watched to see how hard a line Washington is prepared to take on trade. Trump campaigned on an “America First” platform, and has vowed to narrow big trade deficits with nations like China and Japan.

But Trump has also shown willingness to link trade to other issues, saying he would cut a better trade deal with China if it exerts influence on North Korea.

China has appeared increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang, speaking out against its weapons tests and supporting United Nations sanctions, while repeatedly calling for talks.

Slideshow (13 Images)

China banned imports of North Korean coal, the country’s most important export, in February, and Chinese media have raised the possibility of restricting oil shipments to the North.

However, Beijing says the crisis is one between the United States and North Korea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the situation was “highly sensitive, complicated and high risk” and all sides should “avoid taking provocative actions “</s>North Korea attempted to launch a missile that is believed to have failed, the U.S. Pacific Command confirmed on Saturday.

The official said the missile was not an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which North Korea has claimed to possess but has never successfully tested.

The missile blew up almost immediately, the U.S. Pacific Command said. The type of missile is still being assessed.

It’s unclear why it failed. The missile was launched from Sinpo, on its east coast.

The Yonhap news agency in South Korea first reported the failed launch, citing the South Korean military.

“The North attempted to launch an unidentified missile from near the Sinpo region this morning but it is suspected to have failed,” the South’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement

The White House confirmed Saturday that President Trump has been briefed on the attempted missile launch. Vice President Mike Pence is en route to Seoul, the South Korean capital, as part of a 10-day swing through Asia.

North Korea spent the weekend celebrating the 105th anniversary of the country’s late founder, Kim Il Sung. At a massive military parade presided over by North Korea leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday, the military displayed new ICBMs and other military hardware, CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy reported from Pyongyang.

The display included submarine-launched ballistic missiles, believed to be the same type of missile North Korea fired from land in February. The missiles use solid fuel, making them easier to load and harder to detect than liquid fuel rockets.

The parade went on for more than two hours as thousands of North Korean soldiers marched in lockstep through the city’s main square.</s>(CAMP BONIFAS, South Korea) — President Donald Trump asserted on Sunday that China was working with the United States on "the North Korea problem," and his vice president visited a military base near the Demilitarized Zone separating the Koreas a day after the North conducted a failed missile launch.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who has called the failed missile launch "a provocation," arrived at Camp Bonifas on Monday morning for a briefing with military leaders and to meet with American troops stationed there.

The joint U.S.-South Korean military camp is just outside the 2.5-mile-wide DMZ. Pence's visit, full of Cold War symbolism, comes amid increasing tensions and heated rhetoric on the Korean Peninsula.

While the North did not conduct a nuclear test, the specter of a potential escalated U.S. response trailed Pence as he began a 10-day trip to Asia amid increasing tensions and heated rhetoric.

Trump's national security adviser cited Trump's recent decision to order missile strikes in Syria after a chemical attack blamed on the Assad government as a sign that the president "is clearly comfortable making tough decisions." But at the same time, H.R. McMaster said, "it's time for us to undertake all actions we can, short of a military option, to try to resolve this peacefully."

Read More: The Trump Administration Has a New North Korea Strategy: 'Maximum Pressure '

In a broadcast interview that aired on Sunday, McMaster said the U.S. would rely on its allies as well as on Chinese leadership to resolve the issues with North Korea. "I mean, North Korea is very vulnerable to pressure from the Chinese," McMaster said on ABC's "This Week."

The bottom line, McMaster said, is to stop the North's weapons development and make the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free: "It's clear that the president is determined not to allow this kind of capability to threaten the United States. And our president will take action that is in the best interest of the American people."

After a two-month policy review, officials settled on a policy dubbed "maximum pressure and engagement," U.S. officials said Friday. The administration's immediate emphasis, the officials said, will be on increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of Beijing.

The officials weren't authorized to speak publicly on the results of the policy review and requested anonymity.

Pence will be tasked with explaining the policy in meetings with leaders in South Korea and Japan during the trip, which will also include stops in Indonesia and Australia. He will aim to reassure allies in South Korea and Japan that the U.S. will take appropriate steps to defend them against North Korean aggression.

A North Korean missile exploded during launch on Sunday, U.S. and South Korean officials said. The high-profile failure came as the North tried to showcase its nuclear and missile capabilities around the birth anniversary of the North's late founder and as a U.S. aircraft carrier neared the Korean Peninsula.

Read More: The U.S. Contemplated a Nuclear Confrontation in North Korea in 1953. We Can Learn From That Moment

A White House foreign policy adviser traveling with Pence said no U.S. response to the missile launch was expected because there was no need for the U.S. to reinforce the failure. The adviser spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration's initial understanding of the launch.

Trump, spending the Easter weekend at his Florida resort, reinforced his commitment to the armed forces under his control. "Our military is building and is rapidly becoming stronger than ever before," he tweeted.

More directly on North Korea, the president returned to a theme of placing much onus on China for reining in the North. Last week, he said he would not declare China a currency manipulator, pulling back from a campaign promise, as he looks for help from Beijing, which is the North's dominant trade partner.

"Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem? We will see what happens!" Trump tweeted on Sunday.

Deputy national adviser K.T. McFarland briefed the president on the failed missile launch. She advised patience with China on the issue.

"North Korea is a liability to everybody and it's a threat not just to the United States, not just to South Korea, not just to Japan, not just to Russia, but it's actually a threat to China as well," McFarland said Sunday on "Fox News Sunday."

Into this tense environment, Pence made his first trip to the region since taking office in January. After arriving in the South Korean capital, he placed a wreath at Seoul National Cemetery and then worshipped with military personnel at an Easter church service at the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan.

During a fellowship meal after the services, he said the tensions on the Korean peninsula had put into sharp focus the importance of the joint U.S.-South Korean mission.

Read More: A Row With China Over U.S. Missiles Is Devastating South Korea's Tourism Industry

"This morning's provocation from the North is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face every day in the defense of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defense of America in this part of the world," said Pence. "Your willingness to step forward, to serve, to stand firm without fear, inspires the nation and inspires the world."

Along with the deployment of the U.S. aircraft carrier and other vessels into waters off the Korean Peninsula, thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops, tanks and other weaponry were deployed last month in their biggest joint military exercises. That led North Korea to issue routine threats of attacks on its rivals if they show signs of aggression.

The White House foreign policy adviser traveling with Pence told reporters that the type of missile that North Korea tried to fire on Sunday was medium-range, and that it exploded about 4 to 5 seconds after it was launched.

The North regularly launches short-range missiles, but is also developing mid-range and long-range missiles meant to target U.S. troops in Asia and, eventually, the U.S. mainland.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, including two last year. Recent satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.</s>PANMUNJOM, South Korea (AP) — VP Mike Pence says North Korea ‘should not mistake the resolve’ of the US to stand with its allies.</s>Vice President Mike Pence is making a surprise visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone while touring the Asia-Pacific region for the first time since taking office.

Pence landed via helicopter at Camp Bonifas, about a mile from the southern boundary of the zone, around 8:30 p.m. ET. He will be receiving a security briefing from Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, and will then visit the Freedom House observation post in the Korean DMZ.

The visit comes just a day after North Korea's failed missile launch, and one month since Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to the DMZ, where he was notably photographed by a North Korean soldier standing on the other side of an observation post.

Briefly addressing reporters in Camp Bonifas, Pence praised the "unshakeable bond" between the U.S. and Korean people.

"My father served in the Korean War with the U.S. Army, and on the way here, we actually saw some of the terrain my father fought alongside Korean forces to help earn your freedom," Pence said. "It’s a great honor to be with all of our forces."</s>SEOUL, South Korea - A North Korean medium-range missile exploded seconds after it was launched on Sunday, U.S. officials said, a high-profile failure that came hours before the U.S. vice president arrived in South Korea, and as an American aircraft supercarrier approaches the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.

The U.S. had good intelligence both before and after the launch, said a White House foreign policy adviser traveling with Vice President Mike Pence, who arrived in Seoul in the afternoon to start a 10-day trip to Asia.

No planned response is expected from the Trump administration because the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration's initial understanding of the launch, said there was no need for the U.S. to reinforce the failure.

The official said that had it been a nuclear test, "other actions would have been taken by the U.S."

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, including two last year. Recent satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.

The White House believes that Sunday's test involved a medium-range ballistic missile that failed within 4-5 seconds after launch, and that it did not involve an intercontinental ballistic missile, the foreign policy adviser said.

The North regularly launches short-range missiles, but is also developing mid-range and long-range missiles meant to target U.S. troops in Asia and, eventually, the U.S. mainland.

The failed launch will sting in Pyongyang because it came a day after one of the biggest North Korean propaganda events of the year— celebrations of the 105th birthday of late North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, the current leader's grandfather.

President Donald Trump was uncharacteristically quiet about the failed launch, which was attempted from the east coast city of Sinpo. In a statement, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Trump and his military team "are aware of North Korea's most recent unsuccessful missile launch. The president has no further comment."

Pence said North Korea's "provocation" was another reminder of the risks that U.S. and South Korean service members face every day "in the defense of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defense of America in this part of the world."

The vice president said at a fellowship dinner at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul that the willingness of military members "to stand firm without fear inspires the nation and inspires the world."

North Korea's ultimate goal is to have a full array of nuclear-tipped missiles in response to what Pyongyang says is hostility by Washington and Seoul meant to topple its government. North Korea is thought to have a small arsenal of atomic bombs and an impressive array of short- and medium-range missiles.

Many outside analysts believe that North Korea has not yet mastered the technology to build warheads small enough to place on long-range missiles, though some civilian experts say it can already build nuclear-tipped shorter range missiles that have South Korea and Japan within its striking range.

The U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement that Sunday's missile exploded on launch. South Korea's Defense Ministry said it was analyzing exactly how the North Korean launch failed.

Always high animosity has risen on the Korean Peninsula in recent months, as the United States and South Korea conduct annual war games that North Korea claims are invasion preparation and the North prepared for Saturday's anniversary celebrations. A U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, is heading to waters off Korea in a show of force.

Analysts warn that even failed missile launches provide valuable knowledge to North Korea as it tries to build its weapons program. The country launched a long-range rocket and conducted the two nuclear tests last year, including its most powerful to date.

Aside from improving the technology, North Korean missile and nuclear tests are seen by outside analysts partly as efforts to bolster the domestic image of leader Kim Jong Un and apply political pressure on Seoul and Washington.

Kim has overseen three nuclear tests and a string of missile and rocket launches since taking over after the death of his father, dictator Kim Jong Il, in late 2011.

Another missile test from Sinpo failed earlier this month, when the rocket spun out of control and plunged into the ocean. That launch came shortly before Trump's first meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. China is North Korea's only major ally.

The extended-range Scud missile in that earlier launch suffered an in-flight failure and fell into the sea off North Korea's east coast, according to U.S. imagery and assessments.

Despite Sunday's failure, the North's previous claim to have used "standardized" warheads has led to worries that it was making headway in its push to develop small and sophisticated warheads to be topped on long-range missiles.

Washington sees North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles as a threat to world security and to its Asian allies, Japan and South Korea. The United States, South Korea and other countries have vowed to apply more pressure on the North, but so far nothing has worked to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Six-nation negotiations on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program in exchange for aid fell apart in early 2009.</s>SEOUL
• United States Vice-President Mike Pence said yesterday that his country's resolve and commitment to its alliance with South Korea has never been stronger.

"Let me assure you under President (Donald) Trump's leadership, our resolve has never been stronger. Our commitment to this historic alliance with the courageous people of South Korea has never been stronger," he said, addressing an Easter service with American troops in South Korea.

His remarks at the service came after North Korea launched a missile off its east coast. The missile blew up almost immediately after it was launched at around dawn yesterday.

Mr Pence described the missile test as a "provocation".

"This morning's provocation from the North is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face every day in the defence of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defence of America in this part of the world," he told American troops.

"Your willingness to step forward, to serve, to stand firm without fear inspires our nation and inspires the world, and it is an honour for us to share this meal with you today," he was quoted as saying by military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

There are 28,500 American troops in South Korea.

Your willingness to step forward, to serve, to stand firm without fear inspires our nation and inspires the world, and it is an honour for us to share this meal with you today. US VICE-PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE, addressing American troops in South Korea during an Easter service.

Mr Pence was starting a 10-day, four-nation trip to Asia in what his aides said was a sign of US commitment to its ally in the face of rising tensions in the region. The visit is his first to Asia since taking office in January.

Right after touching down at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70km south of Seoul, he visited South Korea's national cemetery in a symbolic gesture to highlight the alliance forged during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

"Pence laid a wreath for veterans at Seoul National Cemetery and honoured those who sacrificed their lives for our two countries," the US Embassy in Seoul said in a tweet.

Mr Pence will be meeting South Korea's Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo Ahn and National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye Kyun today. During the meeting with Mr Hwang, they are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation to denuclearise North Korea.

Mr Pence is also likely to explain to Mr Hwang the Trump administration's North Korea policy, according to Yonhap news agency.

During their talks, they are expected to discuss the ongoing installation of a US anti-missile defence system on the Korean peninsula. Observers say the two sides might reaffirm the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) system, and call on Beijing to stop its economic retaliation against South Korea.

Beijing opposes the deployment of Thaad, whose powerful radar system could penetrate into Chinese territory.

Mr Pence is expected to visit the Demilitarized Zone as well and give a speech at the American Chamber of Commerce.

The US has indicated that it could take a more aggressive approach against Pyongyang.

The US nuclear-powered Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group is heading to the region.

On April 7, America launched missile strikes on a Syrian airfield to punish the Bashar al-Assad regime for a suspected chemical attack on its own people. Less than a week later, the US dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria complex in Afghanistan.

These developments have raised fears of a pre-emptive American military strike on the North, which has conducted several missile and nuclear tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

South Korea has said that there would be no such attack without its consent.

The Korean peninsula remains technically at war because the 1950-1953 Korean War was halted by an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Mr Pence will depart tomorrow for Japan, where he will meet US servicemen based there and tour Nimitz-class USS Ronald Reagan.</s>North Korea attempted a new missile launch from an eastern coastal city early Sunday, but the operation ended in failure shortly after launch, U.S. and South Korean officials said.

It was not clear whether it was a long-range ballistic missile, but the attempted launch in South Hamkyung Province, around Sinpo, was a clear sign of the secretive country’s continuing attempts to develop an aggressive weapons program.

U.S. Pacific Command said it detected a missile at about 6:20 a.m. Korean time. The device apparently “blew up almost instantly,” Cmdr. Dave Benham, a command spokesman, said in a statement.The type of missile is still unknown, he said.

The missile was never a threat to the United States mainland, though North Korea’s increasingly sophisticated weapons are considered a threat to its neighbors, including South Korea and Japan.

“U.S. Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our allies in the Republic of Korea and in Japan to maintain security,” Benham said.

The test missile launch fell short of international fears that the secretive state would attempt its sixth test of a nuclear weapon.

North Korea has been conducting frequent tests of ballistic missiles as part of its program to develop a missile capable of reaching the continental United States — a goal many analysts say is at least a decade away.

The attempted launch on Sunday came a day after a massive military parade in Pyongyang, hosted in celebration of the 105th birthday of late North Korea founder Kim Il Sung.

On April 15, 2016, North Korea also attempted the test launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, apparently to mark the founder’s birthday. That test also failed, but the effort nonetheless drew condemnation from the United Nations Security Council.

The attempted launch, failed or not, is a pointed rebuke at strengthened warnings from China and the U.S., and raises concerns that North Korea is attempting to continue its advance toward becoming a nuclear state despite years of effort by the international community to curb the country’s atomic program.

North Korea conducted the test at the same time that it invited dozens of foreign journalists for a rare glimpse inside the reclusive state — and as the world’s attention is focused on the region.

The isolated nation has conducted at least 50 missile tests since the dynastic young ruler Kim Jong Un took power after his father’s death in 2011, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonpartisan research group in Washington that maintains a database of the nation’s activities.

That includes two dozen since the beginning of 2016, in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The North successfully launched a medium-range missile, called the KN-15, on the morning of April 5 from a land-based site near the eastern port city of Sinpo, according to U.S. Pacific Command headquarters.

It traveled for nine minutes before landing in the East Sea, as have other recent missiles. That missile test prompted a quick response from U.S. military officials who monitor the North’s airspace for provocations; they said it never posed a threat to the American mainland.

North Korea launched the first ballistic missile under President Trump a month after he took office.

The rogue state is still technically at war with South Korea, a U.S. ally that has about 28,000 American forces stationed on bases that are largely within a few hundred miles of the shared Korean border.

North Korea’s military, in a statement released Friday through the official Korean Central News Agency, warned it would “ruthlessly ravage” the U.S. if it came under attack.

The country has handed a lengthy prison sentence to an American tourist, and been accused by South Korea of sneaking across the border in 2015 and planting land mines that severely injured two soldiers.

Malaysian authorities have also accused North Korea of helping carry out the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of Kim Jong Un. That attack — during the day at a crowded Kuala Lumpur international airport — allegedly involved VX nerve agent, a banned chemical weapon.

The North, which security experts say could have more than a dozen nuclear devices, first conducted an underground test in 2006. The tests’ power has increased over time, and last year state media reported advancements in the miniaturization and manufacturing of nuclear warheads in addition to its strongest experiment to date in September.

“The standardization of the nuclear warhead will enable the DPRK to produce at will and as many as it wants a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power,” the government said in September, using a preferred acronym to identify the country.

“This has definitely put on a higher level the DPRK’s technology of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles.”

Security experts in recent years have begun to shift their focus away from disarming the country to studying methods for deterring the country’s desire to use them — and also thinking about limiting its ability to deliver them.

At the same time, the North has made steady progress in its land- and sea-based missile programs, which already have the ability to strike regional American allies in Seoul or Tokyo. In a televised New Year’s Day message this year, Kim boasted that the country was also making significant progress in its effort to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking American targets in the Pacific Ocean, or perhaps even the U.S. mainland.

“We see the North Korean weapons programs as increasingly destabilizing, both for Northeast Asia and for the globe,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton.

A looming concern for American officials is the extent to which China can — or is willing to — apply additional economic pressure to persuade the North to denuclearize, or perhaps to talk about it. Trump said recently that the United States would tackle the problem alone, if needed, a posture questioned by experts who note the issue’s regional complexity.

“We want to see even better cooperation to try to bring about a solution to the North Korea threat, but we’ll certainly be talking to them about what more they can do, and we are looking to them to be doing more in the future,” Thornton said.</s>US vice president Mike Pence arrived at the gateway to the Demilitarised Zone dividing the two Koreas on Monday, in a show of US resolve a day after North Korea failed in its attempt to test another missile.

Mr president flew by helicopter into Camp Bonifas, a US-led United Nations command post just a few hundred metres south of the DMZ. From there, he was expected to move to the truce village of Panmunjom that straddles one of the most heavily militarised borders on Earth. He is in South Korea as part of a 10-day tour of Asia.</s>A North Korean missile "blew up almost immediately" on its test launch on Sunday, the U.S. Pacific Command said, hours before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence was due in South Korea for talks on the North's increasingly defiant arms programme.

The failed launch from North Korea's east coast, ignoring admonitions from major ally China, came a day after North Korea held a military parade in its capital, marking the birth anniversary of the state founder, in which what appeared to be new long-range ballistic missiles were on display.

Pence is due in Seoul at the start of a 10-day trip to Asia in what his aides said was a sign of the U.S. commitment to its ally in the face of rising tension over North Korea.

The U.S. nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group is also heading to the region.

China Says U.S.-North Korea Tension Has to Be Stopped Before It Becomes ‘Irreversible’

The North has warned of a nuclear strike against the United States if provoked. It has said it has developed and would launch a missile that can strike the mainland United States but officials and experts believe it is some time away from mastering the necessary technology.

"The North attempted to launch an unidentified missile from near the Sinpo region this morning but it is suspected to have failed," South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The U.S. Pacific Command said the missile "blew up almost immediately", adding the type of missile was being analysed.

There was a high degree of confidence it was not an intercontinental ballistic missile, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity. A second U.S. official said the launch was land-based.

The timing of the test, coinciding with Pence's trip and a day after the military parade, would suggest deliberate defiance.

Pence had been briefed on the failed launch en route to Seoul and had been in touch with President Donald Trump, White House aides said.

South Korea said it would convene a national security council meeting on Sunday.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited an unidentified South Korean intelligence source as saying the missile appeared to have not flown far from its land-based launch site.

The North launched a ballistic missile from the same region earlier this month ahead of a summit between the leaders of the United States and China to discuss the North's arms programme.

That missile flew about 60 km (40 miles) but what U.S. officials said appeared to be a liquid-fuelled, extended-range Scud missile only travelled a fraction of its range before spinning out of control.

China has spoken out against North Korea's missile and nuclear tests and has supported U.N. sanctions. China on Friday again called for talks to defuse the crisis.

A U.S. Navy attack on a Syrian airfield this month with Tomahawk missiles raised questions about Trump's plans for reclusive North Korea, which has conducted several missile and nuclear tests in defiance of U.N. sanctions, regularly threatening to destroy the United States.

Sinpo, where the Sunday launch took place, is the site of a North Korean submarine base and where the North has tested the submarine-launched ballistic missile it is developing.

“It appears today’s launch was already scheduled for re-launching after the earlier test-firing,” said Kim Dong-yub, a military expert at Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul.

South Korea’s Lotte Group Says it Will Keep Doing Business in China Despite Diplomatic Row

“This launch can possibly be a test for a new type of missile or an upgrade,” Kim said.

Tension had escalated sharply in the region amid concerns that the North may conduct a sixth nuclear test or a ballistic missile test launch around the April 15 anniversary it calls the "Day of the Sun".

The White House has said Trump has put the North "on notice".

Impoverished North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy the South and the South's main ally, the United States.
The U.S. Pacific Command and South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff report that a North Korean missile, tested near the city of Sinpo on the country's east coast, blew up almost immediately after the launch, just hours before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence was due in South Korea for talks about the North's arms program.