Washington, July 28 (TIWN) The United States and its allies will take appropriate steps to hold North Korea accountable should the recalcitrant country conduct a nuclear test.

John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, also noted the North may continue to be ready to conduct a test, a National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"We have been very clear that North Korea could be ready to conduct a nuclear test. That is something we said very, very openly," Kirby said in a press briefing, held virtually.