North Korea’s apparently successful launch of a mid-to-long range missile indicated a significant advance in its drive for an intercontinental ballistic missile.
North Korea’s apparently successful launch of a mid-to-long range missile indicated a significant advance in its drive for an intercontinental ballistic missile, monitors said on Monday, a worrying sign for the Korean peninsula and the United States.
The isolated North boasted on Monday that the launch the previous day, supervised by leader Kim Jong Un, was aimed at verifying the capability to carry a «large scale heavy nuclear warhead.»
Kim accused the United States of «browbeating» countries that «have no nukes» and warned Washington not to misjudge the reality that its mainland is in the North’s «sighting range for strike, » the North’s official KCNA news agency reported.
However, the U. S. military’s Pacific Command said on Sunday the type of missile that was fired was «not consistent» with an ICBM and South Korea’s military played down the North’s claim of technical progress on atmospheric re-entry.
«We believe the possibility of that is low, » said Roh Jae-cheon, a spokesman for South Korea’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The missile landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday in a launch that Washington called a message to South Korea, days after its new president took office pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue.
Moon responded on Monday by sending special envoys to the United States, China, Germany, Japan, and Russia to explain his new government’s plans and policy towards the defiant North.
North Korea has been working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States, a flight of some 8,000 km (4,800 miles) , presenting U. S. President Donald Trump with perhaps his most pressing security issue.
Trump said last month major conflict with North Korea was possible but he would prefer a diplomatic outcome. He has also vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile, a capability experts say Pyongyang could have some time after 2020.
The latest missile launch suggested the North had taken a step in that direction, analysts said.
