North Korea has threatened Australia with nuclear war in a blunt message reminding Malcolm Turnbull that the nation is in range of a catastrophic strike.

The rogue state warned Australia against cosying up to the US as Vice President Mike Pence visits - saying that following US moves in the region would be a 'suicidal act'.

North Korea's state news agency (KCNA) on Saturday warned Australia not to 'blindly and zealously toe' the US line, while also castigating Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

An agency spokesman said Ms Bishop has 'spouted a string of rubbish' against North Korea, which puts Australia at risk of a nuclear strike.

North Korea has threatened Australia with nuclear war in a blunt message reminding Malcolm Turnbull that the nation is in range of a catastrophic strike

Kim Jong-un's rogue state warned Australia against cosying up to the US - saying that following US moves in the region would be a 'suicidal act'

The warning comes as US Vice-President Mike Pence is in Australia, where his visit has been dominated by discussion on the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles programs

'If Australia persists in following the US moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK and remains a shock brigade of the US master, this will be a suicidal act of coming within the range of the nuclear strike of the strategic force of the DPRK,' the report said.

'The Australian Foreign Minister had better think twice about the consequences to be entailed by her reckless tongue-lashing before flattering the US.

'It is hard to expect good words from the foreign minister of such a government. But if she is the foreign minister of a country, she should speak with elementary common sense about the essence of the situation.'

Earlier this week Ms Bishop said on the ABC's AM program that North Korea's nuclear weapons program posed a 'serious threat' to Australia, unless it was stopped by the international community.

The KCNA report said that what Ms Bishop had said 'can never be pardoned' as it was 'an act against peace' and North Korea's 'entirely just steps for self defence'.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on China to add more pressure to their neighbour as tensions soar following missile tests

Mr Pence joined forces with Mr Turnbull to urge China to take a greater role in pressuring North Korea

Intercontinental ballistic missiles were on display during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of North Korea's founding father Kim Il Sung last week

It said Australia was shielding a hostile US policy of nuclear threats and blackmail against North Korea, which was the root cause of the current crisis on on the Korean Peninsula.

The report also said Australia encouraged the US to opt for 'reckless and risky military actions'.

'The present government of Australia is blindly and zealously toeing the US line.'

The report said the situation on the Korean Peninsula was 'inching close to the brink of war in an evil cycle of increasing tensions'.

US Vice-President Mike Pence is in Australia, where his visit has been dominated by discussion on the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

Mr Pence said North Korea is an 'urgent and most dangerous' threat to peace and security in the Asia Pacific region.

U.S. Army soldiers have been conducting military exercises in Paju, near the border with North Korea

Mr Pence said the rogue state is an 'urgent and most dangerous' threat to peace and security in the Asia Pacific region

'While all options are on the table, let me assure you the United States will continue to work closely with Australia, our other allies in the region and China to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear on the regime,' he said during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday.

Mr Pence said warming ties between the US and China means a peaceful outcome on the Korean peninsula is still possible.

'We truly believe that, as our allies in the region and China bring that pressure to bear, there is a chance that we can achieve a historic objective of a nuclear-free Korea peninsula by peaceful means,' he said.

The US Vice President praised Mr Turnbull who also called on China to add more pressure to their eastern neighbour, as tensions soar following missile tests.

North Korea's state news agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman castigating Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. The spokesman said Ms Bishop 'spouted a string of rubbish' against North Korea

Fears are rising that Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test to commemorate the 85th anniversary of its military's founding on Tuesday

'We are quietly confident, I would say, that China will step up to this challenge and responsibility,' he said.

'China has a leverage, an ability to influence North Korea that far exceeds any others.'

North Korea's latest missile test fizzled last weekend, but it conducted two nuclear test explosions and 24 ballistic missile tests last year.

Fears are rising that Pyongyang may be preparing a sixth nuclear test to commemorate the 85th anniversary of its military's founding on Tuesday.

'It is self-evident that China has the opportunity and responsibility to stop this reckless and dangerous trajectory,' Mr Turnbull said.