North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes continue to pose a threat to the region and the world community, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

According to state media report, Blinken made the statements during annual security consultative discussions with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, which also included US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.

"Meanwhile, the DPRK's illegitimate nuclear and missile programmes continue to pose a threat. And with the most recent launch, we saw that again this week "On Thursday, Blinken commented on North Korea's test launch of a self-declared hypersonic missile on Wednesday. The North's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK.

China's "provocative measures" in the region, as well as Russia's military buildup along the Ukraine border, are among the risks facing the partners, according to Blinken.

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