Tillerson calls for action over N.Korea

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has demanded global action over the North Korean nuclear threat after confirming Pyongyang's latest test was with an intercontinental ballistic missile.

In a statement on Tuesday, Tillerson warned that any country that hosted North Korea workers, or provided economic or military aid to Pyongyang, or failed to implement United Nations sanctions was "aiding and abetting a dangerous regime".

"All nations should publicly demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences to their pursuit of nuclear weapons," he said.

"As we, along with others, have made clear, we will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea."

Tillerson's statement provided the first official confirmation of the US conclusion the missile was an ICBM.

His statement came as the US military said American and South Korean troops fired missiles into the waters off South Korea in a show of force after the test on Tuesday.