Japan envoy says missile and nuclear projects unacceptable

June 1, 2016 7:54 AM

North Korea attempted to fire a missile from its east coast on Tuesday but the launch appears to have failed, South Korean officials said

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the ballistic rocket launch drill of the Strategic Force of the Korean People"s Army (KPA) at an unknown location, in this undated file photo released by North Korea"s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on March 11, 2016.

North Koreas intention to carry on with its nuclear and missile programmes cannot be tolerated, Japans chief envoy to stalled six-party talks for denuclearising North Korea said on Wednesday after talks with U.S. and South Korean counterparts.

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North Korea attempted to fire a missile from its east coast on Tuesday but the launch appears to have failed, South Korean officials said, the latest in a string of unsuccessful ballistic missile tests by the isolated country.

"We've agreed that we can by no means tolerate North Korea taking a posture of continuing its nuclear and missile development," Kimihiro Ishikane, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, told reporters.

"We've also agreed on stepping up pressure on North Korea to resolve the issues," he said.