Threat of North Korea firing at Aust 'low'

Defence says the threat of a missile being fired at Australia by North Korea is very low, despite this week's test of a long-range missile

A photo released by North Korea, said to be the missile launch Source: AAP

Australians are being reassured there's "very little risk" the country's north will be targeted by a North Korean missile.

Defence's chief of joint operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, said the range and capability of the intercontinental ballistics missile launched this week was still to be determined.

"There is very little risk at the moment to the northern part of our country, but we will continue to look at what is necessary in line with that threat as we better understand it," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.