Egypt expressed on Tuesday its worry over the "escalation in the Korean Peninsula" hours after North Korea fired a ballistic missile that passed over northern Japan’s Hokkaido Island before landing in the sea.

Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid stressed the importance of defusing the crisis in the Korean Peninsula, adding that the current situation represents a threat to the security and stability of the region.

"It is necessary to suspend all actions that aim to increase tensions and escalate the crisis," the statement said, stressing the importance of committing to the resolutions of the United Nation's (UN) Security Council.

The UN's Security Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss this latest action by North Korea, according to Reuters.

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