London, Apr 30 (IANS): Pope Francis has called for international mediation to ease escalating tensions over North Korea's nuclear activity, the media reported on Sunday.
Speaking to the media on Saturday aboard his plane after a visit to Egypt, Pope Francis said: "There are so many facilitators in the world, there are mediators who offer themselves, such as Norway for example," the BBC reported.
He warned that the situation had become "too hot" and said: the "path is the path of negotiations, of a diplomatic solution".
He warned the crisis risked sparking a devastating war in which "a good part of humanity" would be destroyed.
His comments come hours after North Korea test-fired another ballistic missile on Saturday, which the US and South Korea confirmed that it exploded shortly after take-off.
The missile was fired from a site in South Pyeongan province, north of Pyongyang.