The UN Security Council decided to hold an emergency meeting in New York on Tuesday on punitive steps.

In a statement, the South Korean government strongly condemned the North for the latest missile launch and urged it to choose the path of denuclearization, not such a "reckless provocation."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his troops to demonstrate the capability for "strong retaliation" as his office Cheong Wa Dae immediately convened a National Security Council (NSC) session.

Top South Korean and US military officers discussed "military and strategic responses" to Pyongyang's move in a phone conversation.