North Korea warns of 'more gift packages' for the US

Han Tae Song, ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the UN in Geneva, said it had addressed a recent "gift package" to the United States and that more would follow.

Addressing the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament two days after his country detonated its sixth and largest nuclear test, he said: "The recent self-defence measures by my country, DPRK, are a gift package addressed to none other than the US. "The US will receive more gift packages from my country as long as its relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK," he added

It came after South Korean media citing an unidentified intelligence source said North Korea had been observed moving what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards its west coast. The Asia Business Daily said the rocket started moving on Monday, a day after North Korea's sixth nuclear test, and was spotted moving at night to avoid surveillance. North Korea has launch facilities for its missile programme on its west coast. South Korea's defence ministry, which said the North was considered to be ready to launch more missiles including ICBMs at any time, said they were unable to confirm the contents of the report.

On Monday, Chang Kyung-soo, a defence ministry official, told parliament: "We have continued to see signs of possibly more ballistic missile launches.

"We also forecast North Korea could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile."

North Korea's latest test, which it said was a hydrogen bomb, was a huge advance in its push for nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States. It has led to South Korea boosting its own military capabilities, with Washington and Seoul agreeing to lift restrictions on South Korean missiles they'd previously agreed upon.

Donald Trump has announced his is selling Japan and South Korea a "substantially increased" amount of US military equipment, as the President and his allies looks for ways to counter the threat from North Korea. Amid mounting tension over North Korea aggressiveness, and the US's bellicose rhetoric and sabre-rattling, Mr Trump said he was ready to increase the amount of military hardware in the region - presumably as bid to deter Pyongyang. "I am allowing Japan & South Korea to buy a substantially increased amount of highly sophisticated military equipment from the United States," Trump said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, North Korea has been observed moving what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile towards its west coast.