"This is a continuation of a series of provocative acts by North Korea, and they only serve to further isolate North Korea," spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.

"There is a consensus among all parties in the region that the only viable path for North Korea is to return to the six-party talks and to abandon its nuclear weapons program," the spokesman said.

The negotiations, involving the United States, Russia, Japan, China and the two Koreas, have been stalled for nearly a year since a third round of negotiations in June last year.

Japanese media first broke the news about the North's test-firing of a missile on Sunday, with broadcaster NHK saying it flew 100 kilometersmiles) from North Korea into the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

The North has boycotted the nuclear disarmament talks since it failed to show up at a fourth round scheduled for Beijing last September, citing "hostile" US policy toward the communist state.

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