05:12

David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists said: “Like the August 28 test, this test appears to have been a Hwasong-12 missile launched from a site near the Pyongyang airport.

“The missile followed a standard trajectory – rather than the highly lofted trajectories North Korea used earlier this year – and it flew over part of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.”

Wright added: “The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile, although the payload the missile was carrying is not known.”

Guam lies 3,400 km from North Korea.

North Korea has identified the US Pacific territory as a target due to the presence of US forces at Anderson air force base.