The US, Russia and South Korea have condemned North Korea's latest missile test, which flew close to Russia and crashed into the Sea of Japan early on Sunday.
North Korean state media has claimed that the reclusive nation successfully tested a “newly developed ballistic rocket" capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
It comes after the election of South Korea’s new president and the US mililtary's show of force in the region amid concerns over Kim Jong-un's nuclear programme.
After the latest missile test ratcheted up tensions even further, here are live updates and the latest news on the standoff between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.
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1.40pm BST: North Korea says it will continue to carry out intercontinental ballistic missile launches "any time, any place", defying UN Security Council resolutions.
“The test-firing of ICBMs will occur at any time and place, at the will of North Korea's highest leadership," North Korea's ambassador to China, Ji Jae Ryong, told the press in Beijing.
The UN Security Council is expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the North's latest missile launch at the request of the US, South Korea and Japan.
12.20pm BST: Vladimir Putin has said the world should talk to North Korea rather than threaten it after the latest missile test escalated tensions in the region.
The Russian president said: “This missile launch presented no threat to us, but it of course escalates this conflict and there is nothing good about that."
Putin said nuclear tests of the type that Pyongyang had been carrying out were unacceptable, but that a peaceful solution to rising tensions on the Korean peninsula was needed.
He added: "We need to return to dialogue with North Korea and stop scaring it and find ways to resolve these problems peacefully." HOW THE WORLD REACTED
The missile reached an altitude of more than 1,245 miles and is thought to have crashed in the Sea of Japan, near to the Russian town of Vladivostok.
11.30am BST: North Korea's ambassador to China claimed the CIA and South Korean intelligence conspired "secretly and meticulously" in hatching their plot to use "radioactive or nano-poisonous substances" to assassinate Kim Jong-un.
"We believe this extreme crime was orchestrated by hostile forces in order to damage North Korea's domestic affairs," Ambassador Ji Jae Ryong said.
10.20am BST: North Korea's apparently successful missile launch indicates a substantial advance in its drive for an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to monitors.
The range of the missile "represents a level of performance never before seen from a North Korean missile", Washington-based monitoring project 38 North said in an analysis.
"It appears to have not only demonstrated an intermediate-range ballistic missile that might enable them to reliably strike the US base at Guam, but more importantly, may represent a substantial advance to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile," it said.
The US military's Pacific Command has said that the type of missile that was fired was "not consistent" with an ICBM.
8am BST: North Korea's KCNA state news agency has claimed that it successfully tested a "newly developed mid/long-range strategic ballistic rocket, Hwasong-12".
"The test-fire aimed at verifying the tactical and technological specifications of the newly developed ballistic rocket capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead," it said.
The missile reached an altitude of more than 1,245 miles and is thought to have crashed in the Sea of Japan, about 60 miles from Vladivostok near the Russian border.
If the US provokes the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, “it will not escape from the biggest disaster in the history,” Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying.
Kim Jong-un said: “The coward American-style fanfaronade militarily browbeating only weak countries and nations which have no nukes can never work on the DPRK.”
7am BST: The White House said: "With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil - in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan - the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased.”
6am BST: Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said: "We will continue to closely coordinate with the United States and South Korea to respond to the North Korea situation.”
5am BST: The South Korea’s presidential office, known as the Blue House, said the newly-elected President Moon Jae-in “strongly condemns” the new missile test.
The Blue House’s press secretary said: "The president said while South Korea remains open to the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, it is only possible when North Korea shows a change in attitude.”
South Korea has sent special envoys to the US, China, Germany, Japan and Russia to explain the new government's policy towards North Korea.
4am BST: Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, said the missile test sent a message to South Korea after the election of President Moon Jae-in last week.
Mrs Haley said: ”You first have to get into Kim Jong-Un's head - which is, he's in a state of paranoia, he's incredibly concerned about anything and everything around him.”
She added the US will "continue to tighten the screws" on North Korea, citing sanctions and co-operation with the international community to put pressure on Pyongyang.
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