US President Joe Biden says the latest missile firings by North Korea violate a UN Security Council resolution that bans Pyongyang from launching ballistic missiles.

Biden made the comment at his first formal news conference as president on Thursday.

He said the US is consulting with its allies and partners and "will respond accordingly" if North Korea chooses to "escalate."

Biden added he is also "prepared for some form of diplomacy, but it has to be conditioned upon the end result of denuclearization."

The Biden administration is expected to soon complete its review of US policy toward North Korea. Attention is focused on how the policy will be affected by the president's view of Pyongyang's latest missile launches.

North Korea Reports New Tactical Guided Missile Launch

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that the country conducted a launch test for a newly-developed tactical guided missile on Thursday.

It said the weight of the warhead has been improved to 2.5 tons. The missile reportedly accurately hit the target in waters 600 kilometers east of the Korean Peninsula.

A senior official who was present at the launch reportedly praised it, saying it has great significance in deterring various military threats that exist on the Korean Peninsula. But the newspaper did not say whether the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, was present.