"The EU strongly condemns the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) launch of a ballistic missile on 14 January," said a statement from EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's office.

"The EU calls on the DPRK to cease all illegal actions that undermine international peace and security in its region and beyond."

North Korea said the missile launched Sunday was tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead.

Its official Korean Central New Agency said the launch "never affected the security of any neighbouring country" despite it coming days after live-fire exercises near the maritime border with South Korea, which prompted evacuation orders for some South Korean border islands.

The EU statement urged North Korea to engage in dialogue and respect its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions telling it to abandon nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

"The EU is ready to work with all partners in promoting a meaningful diplomatic process aimed at the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," it said.