SEOUL-U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States was looking at ways to pressure North Korea over its nuclear program as North Korean state media warned the Americans of a "super-mighty preemptive strike", saying don't "mess with us".
President Donald Trump says that how much North Korea's leader desires peace will be a deciding factor in easing tensions between it and the United States.
North Korea did test a missile on Sunday, but by US and South Korean accounts it failed "within seconds".
Pence made his remarks as the White House grappled with controversy over the location of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group that U.S. President Donald Trump said last week had been sent to near the Korean peninsula as a warning to North Korea, but which headed towards Australia instead.
Speaking inside the ship's ceremonial room, the vice president spoke to CNN after addressing about 2,500 troops on the ship's deck - something he said he's never done before. The trip so far has been dominated by US and allies' concerns about North Korea's nuclear and missile development efforts.
"Hwang and Pence plot to strengthen sanctions and pressure against us", it said. VISA PROGRAM Trump orders federal agencies to look at tightening a temporary visa program used to bring high-skilled foreign workers to the United States as he tries to carry out his campaign pledges to put "America First".
Mattis struck an even tougher tone on North Korea in an interview with reporters traveling with him to Saudi Arabia.
Mattis did not identify the type of missile but said it was not of intercontinental range, meaning it could not reach US territory.
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North Korea is the most unsafe and urgent threat to the peace and security of the Asian Pacific.
Steven Weber, an expert on North Korea and political science professor at the University of California-Berkeley, said Trump's unpredictability likely stems from the fact that his administration does not yet have a clear strategic vision for North Korea.
The unannounced visit at the start of Pence's 10-day trip to Asia was a USA show of force that allowed him to gaze at North Korean soldiers from afar and stare directly across a border marked by razor wire.
Experts warn that by its very nature, shooting down one of North Korea's test missiles would bring a substantial risk of escalation - and perhaps push the scope of consequences outside the Pentagon's control and impact US allies in the region, particularly Japan and South Korea.
"I have noted the recent report".
Pence, who visited the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea on Monday, said all options remained on the table for countering the nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed by the rogue North Korean dictatorship.
Mr Mattis did not identify the type of missile but said it was not of intercontinental range, meaning it could not reach USA territory.
Burns reported from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and AP reporter Jonathan Lemire reported from NY.
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