North Korea has warned that any military action taken against the country by the US will result in “all out war.”

The country’s vice foreign minister told the BBC that Pyongyang will step up its missile testing programme – despite increased international condemnation and rising tensions with the US.

"We'll be conducting more missile tests on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis," Vice Foreign Minister Han Song-Ryol told the BBC.

He said that America would be facing war if it was “reckless enough to use military means” in the region.

The country attempted a fresh launch yesterday, as part of the festivities marking the “Day of the Sun” - the 105th anniversary of the North Korean regime’s founding father, Kim Il Sung.

The launch failed after the missile exploded on deployment – however weapons analysts have warned that some of the missiles on display for the anniversary celebrations were new types of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

The country had been widely expected to carry out a sixth nuclear test to mark the occasion.

This morning, after a visit to the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea, US Vice President Mike Pence warned Pyongyang not to “test the resolve” of President Trump.

He said "all options are on the table" to deal with the threat posed by North Korea - adding that any use of nuclear weapons by the reclusive regime would met with an "overwhelming and effective response."

Mr Pence is on the first stop of a four-nation Asia tour to show support for America’s allies in the increasingly volatile region.

He announced plans to move forward with the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile-defence system in the region - and said that the US commitment to protecting South Korea was “iron-clad.”

Meanwhile Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has condemned North Korea’s “reckless nuclear actions” but insisted that it would be illegal for the US to take unilateral military action in response.