North Korea preempted the US presidential election and launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday designed to threaten the US mainland.
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and said this demonstrates its “counteraction will” against its rivals.
Earlier reports said North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile, presumably an ICBM, from the Pyongyang area towards the Sea of Japan at approximately 7:10 a.m. (2210 GMT Wednesday), Sputnik news agency reported.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the flight characteristics of the launch exceeded those of previous missile launches, but did not elaborate on the differences.
North Korea confirmed the launch hours after its neighbors detected the launch of what they suspect was a new, more flexible weapon aimed at the U.S. mainland.
Pyongyang’s statement confirming the launch was unusually quick compared with previous missile test announcements, which have typically been issued a day after the launch.
The United States, South Korea and Japan identified the weapon as an intercontinental ballistic missile and condemned the launch as “increasing tensions.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea had tested a new, long-range, solid-fueled ballistic missile.
Military experts say missiles with a built-in solid propellant are easier to move and hide, and can be launched faster than liquid-fueled weapons.
According to the Japanese government, the missile flew 1,000 kilometers at an altitude of 7,000 kilometers. Its altitude and flight duration were the highest for all launches.