The US military has detected a failed North Korean test launch of an intermediate ballistic missile near the northwestern city of Kusong, the Pentagon said.

"We strongly condemn this and North Korea's other recent missile tests," said U.S. Navy Commander Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman. "We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding the DPRK accountable for these actions."

Ross said the U.S. commitment to the defense of its allies in the region, including South Korea and Japan, was "iron-clad" in the face of such North Korean actions. The Pentagon said the missile launch did not pose a threat to North America.