The UN Security Council has to be ready to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, US President Donald Trump said Monday, calling status quo "unacceptable."

"The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," Trump said while hosting UN Security Council ambassadors at the White House.

"This is a real threat to the world," he said. "North Korea is a big world problem. And it's a problem we have to finally solve."