North Korea missile launch test fails

An attempted missile launch by North Korea has failed, South Korean and US military officials have said.

The attempted launch came a day after Kim Jong Un’s regime paraded a bevy of new long-range ballistic missiles at a major military display.

North Korea has failed to launch a missile on its east coast, South Korean and US military officials say, a day after Pyongyang warned the US amid rising tension in the region.

"North Korea attempted to test an unidentified type of missile from [its eastern port of] Sinpo," the South Korean defence ministry said, adding that the launch on Sunday had "failed".

The ministry added that it was investigating for further details.

The US Pacific Command later confirmed the failed test, adding that it had detected and tracked what it believed to be a North Korean ballistic missile.

"The missile blew up almost immediately," US Navy Commander Dave Benham told Reuters.

North Korea on Saturday marked the 105th anniversary of the birth of its founding president, Kim Il-sung, with a huge military parade in Pyongyang amid speculation that current leader Kim Jong-un could order a new nuclear test.

The event, which appeared to include new intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, was widely seen as a deliberate show of strength.

At the parade, North Korean military official Choe Ryong-hae, who is believed to be the country's second most powerful official, said that his country was "prepared to respond to an all-out war with an all-out war".

"We are ready to hit back with nuclear attacks of our own style against any nuclear attacks," he said.

The latest development comes as US Vice-President Mike Pence heads to the South Korean capital, Seoul, where he is expected to discuss the best way to deal with North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes.

US President Donald Trump has said that the US is ready to act alone to deal with the nuclear threat posed by North Korea.