US ARMY General Curtis M Scaparrotti, Nato’s supreme military commander for Europe, claimed at the weekend that North Korea’s latest missile test represents a serious threat to the region and the US.

“With every launch, they’re getting better and they’re working out their problems,” said Gen Scaparrotti, who commanded US forces in South Korea until recently.

Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile from a submarine at the weekend, but it appears to have failed in its early stage.