We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again.

The reclusive state on Saturday was celebrating the 105th anniversary of its founder Kim Il-sung and reports have emerged that North Korea attempted to launch a missile.

South Korean officials claim the failed launch may have a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which Kim Jong-un had pledged was close to its testing phase at the beginning of this year.

A South Korean official said: “It's presumed to be new ICBM... longer than existing KN-08 or KN-14 ICBMs.”

Speaking to American military personnel in South Korea, Mr Pence told them they were serving on the "frontier of freedom".

He said: "This morning's provocation from the North is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face every day in the defence of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defence of America in this part of the world.

"In these troubled times in this part of the world your courage and your valour still amazes the American people."

The US Vice President was speaking after American officials said a North Korean medium-range missile exploded seconds after it was launched on Sunday.