United States jets fly over Korean Peninsula after North Korea ballistic missile launch

South Korea on Thursday chose to offer $8 million of humanitarian aid to North Korea through United Nations organisations.

North Korea's nuclear weapons program will be a major topic of discussion at this week's United Nations General Assembly in NY. "We've communicated that well enough to the North Koreans".

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea on Thursday chose to resume humanitarian aid to North Korea to help children and pregnant women, but didn't determine when to provide the $8 million worth of assistance amid tensions created by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests.

Prior to that, one was intermediate-range, two were medium-range, eight were either short-range or medium-range and the range of one is unknown, reports suggest.

Cho Myung-gyon, South Korea's unification minister, said the government had "consistently said we would pursue humanitarian aid for North Korea in consideration of the poor conditions there among children and pregnant women". "He's had a busy couple of days this week in NY, but this speech at the UN General Assembly happening in about 45 minutes time that the entire world would have their eyes fixed on".

Instead, North Korea launched ballistic missiles over Hokkaido on August 29 and last Friday. "They must now be enforced".

"The increased moves of the US and its vassal forces to impose sanctions and pressure on the DPRK will only increase our pace towards the ultimate completion of the state nuclear force", North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement released by the state's official Korean Central News Agency.

The unification ministry, which oversees cross-border relations, said that humanitarian aid to the impoverished North should remain unaffected by rising political tensions.

The South Korean government on Thursday announced it will proceed with the plan to send $8 million in humanitarian aid via United Nations agencies amid the global community's efforts to maximize economic pressure on North Korea.

China and Russian Federation began naval drills near North Korea on Monday amid continuing tensions over the isolated state's nuclear ambitions and ahead of a United Nations General Assembly meeting this week, where North Korea is likely to loom large. The ministry said it aims to launch the plan by the end of the year.

If forced to defend itself and its allies, the United States "will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea", Trump said, calling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a "Rocket Man" on a suicide mission.

He underlined that the test triggering a 5.8 magnitude quake can affect China's air pollution as the test site, Punggye-ri in the North's Hamkyong Province, is just 36 kilometers from the border between the two nations, the broadcaster said. Both countries have repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.