Instead of an anticipated nuclear or long-range missile test, Pyongyang conducted a large-scale exercise involving hundreds of artillery pieces placed near its east coast on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported citing the South's military.
The nuclear-powered United States submarine USS Michigan also made a port call at Busan in the South on Tuesday in another show of force, while U.S. navy destroyers carried out separate joint exercises with Japanese and South Korean vessels.
Recent U.S. commercial satellite images indicate increased activity around North Korea's nuclear test site, and third-generation dictator Kim Jong Un has said the country's preparation for an ICBM launch is in its "final stage".
A White House readout of the call said Trump criticized North Korea's "continued belligerence" and the leaders "reaffirmed the urgency of the threat".
On Sunday state media said North Korea's forces were "combat-ready to sink" USA aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, which the U.S. says is due to arrive off the Korean peninsula "within days".
Abe also said he and Trump agreed that China, North Korea's neighbour and sole major ally, should play a large role in dealing with Pyongyang.
And the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is also headed toward the peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea.
Some have speculated that the drill, which took place on Tuesday and reportedly involved almost 400 artillery weapons, was intended as a protest against the recent drills conducted by the US and South Korea, including an integrated firepower exercise that began on April 13th and ends Wednesday. -South Korea alliances against North Korea through joint exercises with US aircraft carriers and other measures.
Administration officials routinely travel to Congress to address lawmakers but it is unusual for the entire 100-member Senate to go to such an event at the White House, and for those four top officials to be involved.
US President Donald Trump sent the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group for exercises off the Korean peninsula as a warning to Pyongyang, but US officials say sanctions, not military strikes, are the preferred option.
Pyongyang marks 85th Army Day with large-scale military exercise
Separately the entire US Senate has been called to a rare briefing on the perceived threat in the White House on Wednesday. President Donald Trump met with ambassadors from United Nations Security Council members Monday at the White House.
15 April: North Korea puts on a huge military parade - complete with missiles - to mark 105th birthday of the nation's founding president, Kim Il-sung.
The United States has speculated that North Korea could carry out another nuclear or missile test timed to Tuesday's celebration.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 27, the Kremlin said.
All 100 US senators will gather Wednesday for a White House briefing on the volatility in North Korea.
Japanese officials say US representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun met today with his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi and Kim Hong Kyun of South Korea to share their latest analyses and discuss cooperation as America moves a Nuclear Powered Submarine in to South Korea.
Asked about the threshold for USA action, Haley told NBC News, "If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that".
United States officials have told Reuters tougher sanctions could include an oil embargo, banning North Korea's airline, intercepting cargo ships and punishing Chinese banks and other foreign doing business with Pyongyang.
The North is also believed to be preparing for a sixth nuclear weapons test.
"The latest fire drill is seen as part of North Korea's wrap-up of a months-long winter training program", said Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Kyungnam University.
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