Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—
North Korea said Sunday it conducted a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) a day earlier, its third known test of the long-range weapon in less than a year.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency said a Hwasong-15 ICBM was fired in a “surprise ICBM launching drill” under the written orders of leader Kim Jong Un.
The missile flew 989 kilometers (614 miles) for almost 67 minutes to an altitude of 5,768.5 kilometers (3,584 miles), according to the KCNA report.
It said the test was proof of Pyongyang’s ability to launch a “fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces” and “clear proof of the sure reliability of our powerful physical nuclear deterrent.”
Saturday’s test came after North Korea warned Friday of “unprecedented strong responses” if the United States and South Korea go ahead with planned…
2023-02-18 20:13:15
Article from www.cnn.com
The Korean Peninsula was rocked today by news that North Korea has conducted a test launch of a long-range ballistic missile. South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff and Japan’s Defense Ministry disclosed that North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the northwestern city of Kusong just after 3:30 a.m., local time. According to reports, the missile flew approximately 500 kilometers (311 miles) before landing in the East Sea of Korea.
This is the first time North Korea has tested a missile since US President Donald Trump visited South Korea in late November. This latest launch confirms that North Korea is continuing its development of long-range ballistic missiles in defiance of international condemnation.
Though details of the missile and its launch trajectory have yet to be released, the missile appears to have been aimed at Japan. Tokyo immediately scrambled fighter jets soon after the launch, and strongly condemned North Korea’s actions. “The repeated launches of ballistic missiles by North Korea is a serious threat to the security of the region including our country and is a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions,” Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a statement.
The US, South Korea, and other international observers warn that the launch is a threat to regional and global security. Donald Trump has yet to comment on the incident, though US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement that “testing an ICBM represents a new escalation of the threat to the United States, our allies and partners, the region, and the world.” Tillerson also called on “global action” to confront the risks posed by North Korea.
It is yet to be seen what kind of response the international community will make to North Korea’s latest provocation. For now, the Korean Peninsula remains in a state of tension as the potential for further conflict hangs in the air.