North Korea said Thursday it had successfully tested its new intercontinental ballistic missile, state media reported, as Pyongyang vented its fury after threatening to down US spy planes it said had violated its airspace.
The report from state-run KCNA news agency said the Hwasong-18 — a new type of purportedly solid-fuel ballistic missile that has reportedly only been fired by the North once before, in April — flew 1,001 kilometres at a maximum altitude of 6,648 km before splashing into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
The flight time of around 70 minutes is also similar to some of North Korea’s previous ICBM launches, experts said.
The launch, which KCNA said was guided by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was a “grand explosion” that shook “the whole planet”, according to the report.
Kim also vowed that “a series of stronger military offensive” would be launched until the United States and South Korea change their policies towards the North, KCNA said.বিস্তারিত