Speaking at a press conference in Washington, ahead of North Korea's controversial planned rocket launch. Victoria Nuland the US State Department spokeswoman appealed to North Korea not to conduct a nuclear test or launch a satellite. She also called on the international community to exert its influence to try to ward off such "provocative actions."

"Well, they shouldn't be doing either. And any of these types of action of just going to further isolate them and make it harder for them to be part of the world community and to -- and to give their people a better quality of life."

She also added that China should continue to use its influence on North Korea

"We are continuing to urge all of the countries that may have influence on the DPRK, most notably China, to continue to use that influence to make clear that they also disapprove of this and think it would be a bad idea and will just further isolate the DPRK."