North Korea missile launch fails

Earlier, North Korea unsuccessfully launched a Musudan missile, which had an estimated range of 4,000 km.

Few hours before the launch, the United States and North Korea agreed to step up efforts to counter the nuclear and missile threats of North threats in a meeting.

North Korea conducted the second test of a powerful medium-range missile on Thursday; however, both the tests have reportedly failed, according to the United States.

Seoul is looking to allay calls from conservatives at home who want South Korea to develop its own nuclear arsenal.

The report came amid growing speculation that North Korea is likely to launch a long-range rocket in the not-too-distant future after its last launch in February.

Less than a week after North Korea's unsuccessful missile test, the Hermit Kingdom conducted another ballistic missile test.

The plans for THAAD have angered China and Russian Federation, which see it as a threat to their own defence.

"The U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea is unwavering".

The exercise took place in the Yellow Sea between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, waters off South Korea's southern island of Jeju, and in the Sea of Japan to the east.

That incident prompted the UN Security Council on October 17 to strongly condemned North Korea, threatening further measures against Pyongyang.

That includes deploying "as soon as possible" a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to South Korea. Experts say a militarized version of the rocket the North used to put its second satellite into orbit in February would potentially have the range to reach the US mainland. If North Korea's threats continue unabated, as now, it will pose a direct and real threat not only on the Korean Peninsula but also to the USA and beyond.

While the launch of the presumed Musudun intermediate-range ballistic missile failed immediately, "it signals their continued resolve to get this right", Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider.

A look at North Korea's nuclear facilities and capabilities.

During the two-plus-two dialogue, the two sides are expected to discuss how to address the DPRK's recent provocations, including the September 9 nuclear device test and a series of missile launches.