U.S, South Korea opting for military response against North Korea

United States and South Korean military officials on Friday discussed "military response options," after North Korea carried out its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile in a month.

Marine General Joseph Dunford, who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with Admiral Harry Harris, the Commander of U.S. Pacific Command spoke with General Lee Sun-jin, Chairman of the South Korean Joint Chief of Staff, the Telegraph reported.

Both Dunford and Harris have expressed the ironclad commitment to the US-Republic of Korea alliance. "The three leaders also discussed military response options," said Captain Greg Hicks, a spokesman for Gen Dunford.

The Pentagon confirmed that the missile, which flew for 45 minutes, travelled an estimated 600 miles and landed on west of Japan's Hokkaido island, was an ICBM. It flew for six minutes longer than the previous one, on July 4.

Shinzo Abe, Japan's Prime Minister, has called a meeting of the national security council to assess the launch.

Last month Pentagon has updated its options for North Korea that includes the military response with the goal of giving Trump plans for a rapid response.

The Pentagon, which earlier this week, warned that North Korea could have a nuclear-enabled ICBM as early as next year, said it detected the launch almost immediately.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo said last week that the Trump administration needed to find a way to separate Kim from his growing nuclear stockpile.

"As for the regime, I am hopeful we will find a way to separate that regime from this system," Pompeo said. "The North Korean people I'm sure are lovely people and would love to see him go.