Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says if North Korea launches an attack on the United States, Australia will join the conflict.

The Trump administration has escalated its rhetoric against North Korea, after the rogue regime threatened to attack the US territory of Guam in the Pacific.

“America stands by its allies, including Australia of course, and we stand by the United States,” Mr Turnbull told 3AW.

“So be very, very clear on that. If there’s an attack on the US, the ANZUS Treaty would be invoked and Australia would come to the aid of the United States, as America would come to our aid if we were attacked.”

Tensions have been rising on the Korean peninsula after North Korea carried out two intercontinental ballistic missile tests last month.

Mr Trump has warned he would not allow Pyongyang to develop nuclear weapons capable of hitting the US.

Mr Turnbull discussed North Korea’s behaviour with US Vice-President Mike Pence overnight, calling it “the most dangerous flashpoint in the world today”.

Mr Turnbull would not say if Mr Pence sought any specific assurances of military aid from Australia.

But he said the terms of the Australia-US alliance were clear.

“But be under no misapprehension, in terms of defence, we are joined at the hip,” he said.

“The American alliance is the absolute bedrock of our national security. If there is an attack on the US … we would come to their aid.

“Now, how that manifests itself obviously will depend on the circumstances and the consultations with our allies.”

—ABC