China, Russia must act against N Korea: Tillerson

North Korea fired an unidentified missile over Japan from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang.

Washington, Sep 15: Following North Korea's latest missile test, the US has asked China and Russia to take direct action against Pyongyang to "indicate their intolerance" to the provocative missile tests carried out by the Communist-nation.

"China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement after Pyongyang carried out another missile test today that flew over Japan.

"North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the US have been directly threatened in recent weeks," he said.

These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation, he added.

"United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime," Tillerson said.

North Korea fired an unidentified missile over Japan from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang. The missile landed in the ocean, 2,000 km off the east coast of Hokkaido. The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The missile flew over Japan, Japan's NHK television said. The Japanese Government warned people to stay away from anything that could be debris and said the missile landed in the Pacific Ocean.

PTI