Donald Trump: Talking to North Korea 'not the answer' The President complained that the United States had been "paying extortion money" to North Korea for 25 years.

Image: North Korea's latest missile launch was seen as a message of defiance. Pic Korean Central News Agency KCNA

Donald Trump has said talking to North Korea is "not the answer", after the Pyongyang regime flew a ballistic missile over US ally Japan.

"The US has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!" Mr Trump tweeted.

The US President's comments follow his declaration that "all options are on the table" after the North Korean missile flew over the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The test was considered to be one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state, and came as US and South Korean forces conduct annual military exercises on the peninsula.

Mr Trump's comments appeared to be contradicted by defence secretary Jim Mattis later in the day.


Image: Hokkaido is in the north of Japan

When asked by reporters just hours later if the United States was out of diplomatic solutions, Mr Mattis replied: "No. We are never out of diplomatic solutions."

North Korea's missile test took place a day before British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Japan.

She called on China to "do everything it can" to put more pressure on North Korea to stop "illegal" and "outrageous" missile tests.

Speaking to journalists on the flight, Mrs May said: "The actions of North Korea, of DPRK, are illegal. They are significant actions of provocation.

"I think it's outrageous. That's why we will be working with our international partners - as we have done previously but we will be doubling our efforts with our international partners to put pressure on North Korea to stop these illegal activities."

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Image: Kim Jong Un celebrates the latest missile test Pic: KCNA

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On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's call for peace talks.

She said "pressure and sanctions" against North Korea "cannot fundamentally solve the issue".

"On the one hand, sanctions have continued to be put in place via resolutions, and on the other hand North Korea's nuclear and missile launch process is still continuing," she said.

Image: Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry, speaks at a news conference

Earlier this month, North Korea reportedly made a miniaturised nuclear warhead that could fit inside one of its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

It prompted Mr Trump to issue a warning of "fire and fury" on the North, while Pyongyang threatened to fire missiles towards the US territory of Guam.

Any missile fired towards Guam would have to fly over Japan and analysts said Tuesday's test presented a major challenge to Tokyo and Washington.

"Pyongyang has demonstrated that its threats to the U.S. base on Guam are not a bluff," said Konstantin Kosachev on Tuesday, chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament's international affairs committee.