Korea displays new types of ballistic missiles

The state TV also showed several KN-08 missiles being rolled out on trucks at the parade.

Hours before Pence left, North Korea showed off its ICBMs in a military display at the annual parade in the capital that celebrates the birthday of the North's founding ruler, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un.

There was no immediate comment from Washington, which is engaged in a sharp, multinational diplomatic offensive aimed at persuading North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to end his push to develop nuclear weaponry.

USA officials said on Friday that Trump's advisers weighed a range of ideas for how to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

A senior North Korean government official said the country is ready to stand up to any threat posed by the United States as he spoke at the parade.

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

South Korea said on Sunday North Korea's latest missile launch threatened the entire world, warning of a punitive action if it leads to further provocations such as a nuclear test or a long-range missile launch.

But the North's Workers' Party of Korea Vice Chairman Choe Ryong-hae said in a speech Saturday that Pyongyang is ready to respond to the USA with "an all-out war" including nukes.

President Donald Trump recently tweeted that if China can't crack down on North Korea, the US will have to step in.

North Korea had previously launched the ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan during the summit between President Donald Trump and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February.

"North Korea attempted to test an unidentified type of missile from Sinpo area in the South Hamkyong Province this morning, but we suspect the launch has failed", South Korea's defence ministry said in a statement.

South Korean and USA intelligence officials were trying to determine what type of missile was used.

Tensions over the North's nuclear ambitions escalated further this week after reports in the US that Washington was ready to launch a pre-emptive strike.

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 United States imagery and assessments. "We've got a powerful nuclear deterrent already in our hands, and we certainly will not keep our arms crossed in the face of a USA preemptive strike".

The parade comes amid rising tensions between North Korea and the rest of the world, after a week-long series of spats directed toward the U.S., and a looming possibility of the nation's sixth nuclear test.

"The president and his military team are aware of North Korea's most recent unsuccessful missile launch", Mattis said.

The missile was probably a medium-range missile and not an intercontinental ballistic one, according to US intelligence.

Kim emphasizes nuclear weapons as the foundation of his national defense strategy.

The reported failed test comes at a time of year when North Korea has previously tried to launch missiles.

The event made clear how vital the state's nuclear programme is to its future ambitions as it continues to ignore growing pressure from the USA to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

But U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Friday that the Trump administration had settled on a policy that will emphasize increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of China, North Korea's only major ally, instead of military options or trying to overthrow Kim's regime.