Warning of fallout in a war with Pyongyang

A PENTAGON chief has warned of the “catastrophic” consequences of a war with North Korea as the rogue nation fired another ballistic missile towards Japan.

Defence Secretary James Mattis told CBS a war would place US allies in the region at extreme risk

“The North Korean regime has hundreds of artillery cannons and rocket launchers within range of one of the most densely populated cities on Earth, which is the capital of South Korea,” Mr Mattis said.

“This regime is a threat to the region, to Japan, to South Korea – and in the event of war, would bring danger to China and to Russia as well.

“But the bottom line is it would be a catastrophic war if this turns into a combat.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to take “concrete action” with the US after North Korea’s latest missile launch, which landed in the Sea of Japan.

The launch came in fresh defiance of tough talk from US President Donald Trump, who promised on Friday that the “big problem” of North Korea “will be solved”.