Seoul media say North Korea might test nuke in Pacific Ocean

South Korean media report North Korea's top diplomat says his country may test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean to fulfill leader Kim Jong Un's vow to take the "highest-level" action against the United States.Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho comments Thursday on the sidelines of a United Nations gathering followed an extraordinary direct statement by Kim in response to President Donald Trump's threat to "totally destroy" the North.South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports that Ri told reporters in New York that a response "could be the most powerful detonation of an H-bomb in the Pacific."Ri reportedly added that "We have no idea about what actions could be taken as it will be ordered by leader Kim Jong Un."Such a test would be considered a major provocation by Washington and its allies.

President Trump, in new dig, mocks North Korea leader as 'Rocket Man'

SOMERSET, N.J.  — President Donald Trump on Sunday mocked the leader of nuclear-armed North Korea as "Rocket Man" while White House advisers said the isolated nation would face destruction unless it shelves its weapons programs and bellicose threats.The warnings came a day after Kim Jong Un pledged to continue those programs, saying North Korea is nearing its goal of "equilibrium" in military force with the United States.North Korea will be high on the agenda for world leaders this coming week at the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, President Trump's biggest moment on the world stage since his inauguration in January.President Trump is scheduled to address the world body, which he has criticized as weak and incompetent, on Tuesday.President Trump, who spent the weekend at his New Jersey golf club, tweeted that he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed North Korea during their latest telephone conversation Saturday.Asked about President Trump's description of Kim, national security adviser H.R. McMaster said "Rocket Man" was "a new one and I think maybe for the president." But, he said, "that's where the rockets are coming from.

UN condemns North Korea's 'highly provocative' missile test

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" ballistic missile test on Friday and demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt its "outrageous actions" and demonstrate its commitment to denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.The U.N.'s most powerful body accused North Korea of undermining regional peace and security by launching its latest missile over Japan and said its nuclear and missile tests "have caused grave security concerns around the world" and threaten all 193 U.N. member states.North Korea's longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile early Friday from Sunan, the location of Pyongyang's international airport, signaled both defiance of North Korea's rivals and a big technological advance.

North Korea fires missile over Japan in longest-ever flight

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean on Friday, U.S. and South Korean militaries said, its longest-ever such flight and a clear message of defiance to its rivals.Since President Donald Trump threatened the North with "fire and fury" in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test and launched two missiles of increasing range over U.S. ally Japan.

South Korea says North Korea fired unidentified missile from its capital

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's military says North Korea fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang in a continuation of weapons tests following its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date on September 3rd.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday that the missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport.The North last month used the airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over northern Japan in what it declared as a "meaningful prelude" to containing the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and the start of more ballistic missile launches targeting the Pacific Ocean.South Korea's Defense Ministry says the country's military conducted a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response to the North's launch.South Korean President Moon Jae-in has scheduled a National Security Council meeting to discuss the launch.

UN Security Council unanimously adopts new North Korea sanctions

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council on Monday unanimously approved new sanctions on North Korea in a watered-down resolution that eliminated a ban on all oil imports and an international asset freeze on the government and leader Kim Jong Un that the Trump administration wanted.The resolution does ban North Korea from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates.

Defense secretary on North Korea: Threats to U.S. "will be met with a massive military response"

NORTH KOREA -- Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday shot back at North Korea's claimed test of a hydrogen bomb with a blunt threat, saying the U.S. will answer any threat from the North with a "massive military response — a response both effective and overwhelming." Earlier, President Donald Trump threatened to halt all trade with countries doing business with the North, a veiled warning to China, and faulted South Korea for its "talk of appeasement."The tough talk from America's commander in chief and the retired Marine general he picked to oversee the Pentagon came as the Trump administration searched for a response to the escalating crisis.

President Trump calls North Korea 'rogue nation,' after "major nuclear test"

TOKYO  — The Latest on the nuclear test North Korea conducted Sunday — its sixth and largest so far (all times local):___8:45 p.m.President Donald Trump has reacted to what he's calling "a major Nuclear Test" by North Korea — branding the North "a rogue nation" whose "words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous" to the United States.

North Korea says missile launch "a prelude to containing Guam"

WASHINGTON — North Korea's missile launch on Tuesday was a prelude to more military operations directed at the US territory of Guam, North Korean state media said Wednesday.Pyongyang said it fired an intermediate-range missile Hwasong-12 in Tuesday's test.The missile's flight path took it over Japan, further fueling tensions between North Korea and the United States and its allies, Japan and South Korea.Tuesday's launch was "the first step of the military operation of the (North Korean military) in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam," a report from the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.It said Pyongyang would be "conducting more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future."

North Korea fires missile over Japan in aggressive test

SEOUL — North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said Tuesday, an aggressive test-flight over the territory of a close U.S. ally that sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

North Korea fires 3 short-range missiles; US says tests fail

SEOUL, South Korea — Three North Korea short range ballistic missiles failed on Saturday in the North's latest weapons test amid a rapid expansion of its nuclear weapons and missile program, U.S. military officials said SaturdayThe U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement that two of the North's missiles failed in flight.

Seoul: North Korea fires several projectiles to sea

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea says North Korea has fired several unidentified projectiles to the sea in what appears to be the latest weapons tests for the country that has been rapidly expanding its nuclear weapons and missile program.Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Saturday that that the projectiles were fired from an area from the North's eastern coast and flew about 250 kilometers (155 miles).The JCS says the South Korea and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launch.The launch comes weeks after North Korea created a tense standoff with the United States by threatening to lob some of its missiles toward Guam.North Korea also successfully flight-tested a pair of intercontinental ballistic missiles in July that analysts say could reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un briefed on missile-launch plan

North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un was briefed on his military's plans to launch missiles in waters near Guam days after the Korean People's Army announced its preparing to create "enveloping fire" near the U.S. military hub in the Pacific.The Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday that Kim during an inspection of the KPA's Strategic Forces praised the military for drawing up a "close and careful" plan.

Pres. Trump demands North Korea "get their act together," says "fire and fury" may have been too soft

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Not backing down, President Donald Trump warned Kim Jong Un's government on Thursday to "get their act together" or face extraordinary trouble, and suggested his earlier threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea was too mild."Maybe that statement wasn't tough enough," President Trump said, in the latest U.S. salvo in an escalating exchange of threats between the nuclear-armed nations.A day after North Korea laid out plans to strike near Guam with unsettlingly specificity, there was no observable march toward combat, despite the angry rhetoric from both sides.

North Korea says it'll complete plan to attack waters near Guam by mid-August

NORTH KOREA -- North Korea on Wednesday officially dismissed President Donald Trump's threats of "fire and fury," declaring the American leader "bereft of reason" and warning ominously, "Only absolute force can work on him."In a statement carried by state media, General Kim Rak Gyom, who heads North Korea's rocket command, also said his country was "about to take" military action near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.