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North Korea launched a missile test on Monday, its third in three weeks.

Kim Jong-un “guided” the launch, and has warned that he will send a “bigger gift package” to the US.

Donald Trump has agreed to fresh sanctions on North Korea, and has reportedly ordered that a third aircraft carrier be sent to the western Pacific.

TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW OUR LIVE UPDATES ON NORTH KOREA - CLICK HERE 8.30am: A Japanese minister has called for an end to “dialogue for dialogue's sake” after Monday’s missile test. Shinichi Iida, minister for public diplomacy at the Japanese Embassy, told Sky News: “We are very much concerned with yet another provocation by North Korea. “North Korea has conducted nuclear tests twice and has launched more than 30 ballistic missiles in just over a year. “It is obviously causing a very serious threat, not only to the region but also to the entire world.” Mr Iida said that China “can play a very critical role” in tackling the North Korea problem. He added that for UN sanctions to work, Pyongyang’s foreign current revenues need to be cut. 06.30am: Several European nations have stopped importing workers from North Korea amid international furore over the state’s nuclear and missile programmes. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania have suspended imports of workers from North Korea after Pyongyang was criticised for extorting money earned by their citizens overseas, according to a recent report by a North Korean human rights advocacy group. The North's labour exports is regarded as a major source of currency for the secretive state, which has vowed to continued to develop its nuclear weapons programme. The hermit state is said to receive more than £78million (US$100million) from their overseas labour every year. 00.35am: Kim Jong-un has vowed to send the United States an even bigger "gift package", a day after the North launched a "successful" short-range missile launch. The North Korean leader also insisted that his country will take a “greater leap forward” in developing the proficiency of their strategic weapons, the North’s state-run news agency KCNA reports. The news agency added: “The ballistic rocket flew toward the east sky where the day broke and correctly hit a planned target point with deviation of seven meters after flying over the middle shooting range.”

Revealed: Kim Jong-un's nuclear cronies Fri, May 26, 2017 After North Korea's recent series of ballistic missile test, dictator Kim Jong-un is often photographed with the same three men Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 7 Kim Jong-un reacts during the long-range Hwasong-12 (Mars-12) strategic ballistic rocket test launch with Ri Pyong Chol (2nd L), Kim Jong Sik (C) and Jang Chang Ha (2nd R)

Monday, May 29 7.48pm: Listpedia has revealed the top five safest countries to escape to, if World War Three breaks out in the Korean Peninsula. At the top of the list is New Zealand, which is ranked number four on the Global Peace Index. The rich and fertile landscape of the county makes it completely self-sufficient and it derives 50 per cent of its energy from renewable hydro-eclectic power. In second place is Greenland, which is a Danish-dependant territory. The isolated country is a harsh and unforgiving snowy landscape but its geographic position is a bonus. 7.10pm: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to take action against North Korea following Monday’s missile test. "As we agreed at the recent G7, the issue of North Korea is a top priority for the international community," Mr Abe told reporters. "Working with the United States, we will take specific action to deter North Korea." South Korea’s government also said Pyongyang’s repeated missile tests were dashing any hopes of resolving the tension peacefully. 5.50pm: The Pentagon will aim to shoot down an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time, in a test next week. The goal of the test will be for the US to simulate a scenario in which a North Korean ICBM is fired at America. North Korea is now the focus of America’s anti-missile defence systems, after Kim Jong-un vowed to build missiles capable of striking the US. 4.50pm: The US Navy will reportedly send a third nuclear aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula, according to the Voice of America. USS Nimitz, which can house up to 90 aircraft, would join the Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan which are already stationed in the region. The news comes after Donald Trump labelled North Korea’s latest missile test a slap in the face to China. North Korea carried out its missile test on Monday, in defiance of international sanctions, sparking fear Pyongyang could be preparing for another nuclear test. 13.45pm: US President Donald Trump tweeted about North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test, its third in three weeks. He said: “North Korea has shown great disrespect for their neighbor, China, by shooting off yet another ballistic missile...but China is trying hard!” The ballistic missile was fired from the country’s eastern coast in the region of Wonsan. 12.25pm: China and Russia have condemned North Korea’s latest missile test and called for the hermit state to return to talks. "At present the situation on the Korean peninsula is complex and sensitive, and we hope all relevant sides maintain calm and exercise restraint," China's foreign ministry said in a statement. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Vladimir Titov, meanwhile called for the international community to rein in its response. "We are at the same time calling on the partners with whom we are working to show restraint, including towards military activity in this region," he said. 11.15am: The missile launch yesterday has been condemned by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who said such incidents “bring danger to China and to Russia as well”. 11.00am: More information has emerged about yesterday's missile launch. The missile was believed to be a Scud-class ballistic missile and flew about 280 miles, South Korean officials said. North Korea has a large stockpile of the short-range missiles, originally developed by the Soviet Union. It was the third ballistic missile test-launch since South Korea's liberal President Moon Jae-in took office on May 10 pledging to engage with the reclusive neighbour in dialogue.

GETTY / TWITTER North Korea: Kim Jong-un has launched a fresh missile test

Sunday, May 28 10.00pm: North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile on Monday from the region of Wonsan on its east coast. The launch was immediately reported to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, according to the country's military. He has now called a meeting of the National Security Council. 4.50pm: The US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said that a war with North Korea would be “catastrophic”. "A conflict in North Korea would be probably the worst kind of fighting in most people's lifetimes,” he told CBS News. Mr Mattis said that North Korea is a “direct threat to the United States” and poses a huge risk to neighbouring countries such as Japan, China and Russia. "But the bottom line is it would be a catastrophic war if this turns into a combat if we're not able to resolve this situation through diplomatic means," he added. Speaking about Kim Jong-un’s rogue weapons programme, he said that the the Trump administration is assuming that “with a testing program they get better with each test”. "They have been very clear in their rhetoric we don't have to wait until they have an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear weapon on it to say that now it's manifested completely," he added. 2.00pm: North Korea’s state broadcast KCTV has aired footage of Kim Jong-un’s latest missile test. The clip shows a high-powered missile launch from a deserted wasteland as Kim looks on. Donald Trump failed to comment on the test in his latest round of tweets, instead focusing on his “fake news” agenda.

9.00am: North Korean state media has issued an update on this morning’s photos of Kim Jong-un witnessing a missile launch. KCNA said that the exercise tested "a new type of anti-aircraft guided weapon”. It claimed that defects formerly present in the system have now been corrected, however experts have cast doubt on the rogue nation’s claims. “North Korea tested the new-type anti-aircraft guided weapons system and suggested that they can even hit the stealth aircraft and ballistic missiles, but I think this is exaggeration given their level of technology at this point," Yang Uk, a North Korean expert at advisory committee for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, told NBC News. 7.00am: Fears that North Korea could be developing a new missile system have been raised, after the secretive state’s official media agency released new images of Kim Jong-un observing a test launch. Kim is shown holding binoculars in the photos, and is surrounded by army officials.

TWITTER North Korea: Kim Jong-un watching missile test