WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said the United States will continue to keep pressure on North Korea until it changes course, after Washington this month warned that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct a seventh nuclear test.

       "Our goal, simply put, is a peaceful and stable region and world. Until the regime in Pyongyang changes course, we will continue to keep the pressure on," Blinken told reporters following a meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in Washington.

       Park said any provocations by North Korea, including a nuclear test, will be met with a united and firm response.

       (Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Daphne Psaledakis and Costas Pitas; Editing by Nick Zieminski)