Abe, Trump agree to take more action on Pyongyang

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with US President Donald Trump on Monday and the two agreed on the need for further action against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) second long-range missile test this month.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the United States is “done talking” about the DPRK.

The ambassador said any new UN Security Council resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on DPRK is of “no value” and urged South Korea, Japan and China to take more actions.

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Abe told reporters following his conversation with Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyang's unilateral "escalation" of the situation.

"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," Abe said, adding that the two nations would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details.

Abe and Trump did not discuss military action against Pyongyang, nor what would constitute the crossing of a "red line" by Pyongyang, Deputy Chief Cabinet spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.

The DPRK said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the US mainland.

(With inputs from Reuters)