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North Korea Test Fires New ICBM – And Warns It ‘Strengthens Nuclear Forces’ | World News

North Korea Test Fires New ICBM – And Warns It ‘Strengthens Nuclear Forces’ | World News

North Korea says it has tested an improved, long-range missile it claims is “the world’s most powerful strategic deterrent”.

The US, South Korea and Japan detected the launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – believed to be a new, more agile missile – which comes just days before US elections.

In a statement broadcast by state media, the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said: “I state that the DPRK (north korea) will never change its line of building up its nuclear forces.”

He added that the missile launch was “an appropriate military action” after North Korea’s “rivals … intentionally escalated the regional situation.”

The statement said North Korea had “demonstrated the modernity and credibility of the world’s most powerful strategic deterrent.”

Thursday morning’s launch was North Korea’s longest ever ballistic missile test, with a flight time of 87 minutes, according to South Korea.

Seoul’s chiefs of staff believe the missile was a new type of solid-fuel ICBM.

Japanese Defense Minister General Nakatani told reporters that the missile’s flight duration and maximum altitude of more than 7,000 km (4,350 miles) exceeded previous North Korean missile tests.

North Korea's latest missile launch was broadcast on local television.
Image:
In December 2023, North Korea broadcast the launch of a long-range missile called the Hwasong-18. File image: KCNA

It was tracked on a suddenly elevated trajectory from an area near Pyongyang and was scattered over about 200 km
(125 miles) west of Japan’s Okushiri Island.

North Korea last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in December 2023, when it launched the solid-fuel Hwasong-18.

Thursday’s launch came just hours after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart Kim Yong-hyun met in Washington to condemn The deployment of troops from North Korea in Russia.

It was reported that there are now 11,000 soldiers Russiasome close to the front line in Ukraine. Neither Russia nor North Korea have confirmed the deployment.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attend the test launch of a new Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at an undisclosed location in this still image from a photo used in a video released by the North Korean company. Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) April 14, 2023 Credit KCNA
Image:
Kim Jong Un and his daughter inspect a Hwasong-18 missile in April 2023. File photo: KCNA

A day earlier, Seoul have reported signs the North may test an ICBM or nuclear test in the run-up to Tuesday’s US presidential election, an attempt to draw attention to its military might.

US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the launch “needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region”.

He added that it was “a flagrant violation” of several UN Security Council resolutions.

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Both South Korea and Japan also condemned the launch as a threat to international peace.

Over the past two years, Mr. Kim has used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a window to step up weapons tests and threats, while expanding military cooperation with Moscow.

Many foreign experts believe that North Korea does not yet have a functioning nuclear missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

But it is likely that short-range missiles could launch nuclear strikes across South Korea.