North Korea confirmed yesterday, Sunday, that it had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier, with the aim of verifying the reliability of the weapon system.

The surprising ICBM launch is, according to the North Korean News Agency (KCNA), “tangible evidence” of Pyongyang’s efforts to make the capability of a nuclear counterattack against hostile forces irresistible.

The Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile – which fell on Saturday afternoon in the waters off Japan’s west coast – traveled a distance of 989 kilometers in 4,015 seconds, reaching an altitude of 5,768 kilometers, according to KCNA.

Meanwhile, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has criticized the US for trying to turn the UN Security Council into what she calls an “instrument of vile hostile policy” against North Korea.

Yesterday’s missile test by Pyongyang, its first this year, came after it threatened on Friday an unprecedented, persistent, and forceful response as South Korea and the US prepare for their annual joint military exercises as part of efforts to deter North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threat.

Nuclear-armed North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could hit anywhere in the United States, as it resumed preparations for its first nuclear test since 2017.

North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapon programs have been banned by UN Security Council resolutions, but Pyongyang maintains that the weapons development is necessary to counter hostile policies by Washington and its allies.

Source: CNN Greece

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