SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea said on Sunday it had tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day, in a “sudden launching drill” aimed at confirming the weapons’ reliability, state media reported on Sunday.
North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the sea off Japan’s west coast on Saturday afternoon after warning of a strong response to upcoming military drills by South Korea and the United States.
“The surprise ICBM launching drill … is an actual proof of the DPRK strategic nuclear force’s consistent efforts to turn its capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces into the irresistible one,” the state news agency KCNA said, calling it a “guarantee for and a clear proof of the sure reliability of our powerful physical nuclear deterrent.”
DPRK stands for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, also issued a statement and further warned of a “strong and overwhelming” response to any “hostile” acts against Pyongyang.
The state news agency KCNA said the missile flew 989 km (614 miles) to an altitude of 5,768 km (3,584 miles) for 4,015 seconds.
(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
