Transcript for North Korea launches ballistic missile, US officials confirm

We have a second national security challenge breaking. North Korea test fired another missile designed to carry a nuclear warhead and Jon Karl tracking that and, Jon, the timing here no accident at all. Right before president trump's meeting with the Chinese president tomorrow. Reporter: Certainly no accident. This missile lunch comes on the eve of the first president, the first meeting between president trump and the president of China. A meeting where the north Korean threat will be at the top of the agenda. Now, U.S. Military officials say this was a kn-15 intermediate range missile. It only flew about 37 miles off the east coast of North Korea into the sea of Japan. But, George, this was a solid fuel rocket. That is concerning because that is the kind of rocket launch that is much harder to detect but the only response from the administration so far is a terse statement from secretary of state tillerson saying, quote, the United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment. But president trump had some pointed words about North Korea and China just over the weekend in an interview with "The financial times." He said, China has great influence over North Korea and China will either decide to help us with North Korea or they won't. If they do, that will be very good for China. If they don't, it won't be good for anyone and then, George, he added this, if China is not going to help solve North Korea, we will. Of course, no indication how. And that is the big problem when it comes to the how there are no real good options, north Korea has been impervious to pressure and a military trike raises the possibility of retaliation against South Korea. Absolutely and there are really nothing -- there's nothing further to be done in terms of economic sanctions, it leaves very little further by way of escalating but from the United States other than military option which there really is not a good military option. Okay, Jon Karl, thanks very much.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.