North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated that the new launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) demonstrates Pyongyang's "determination to counterattack," according to a statement from the state agency KCNA. The North launched a long-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, a weapons test condemned by Seoul and Tokyo.
In a statement reported by KCNA, Kim declared that the launch is an appropriate military measure aimed at rivals that have posed a threat to national security. He also stated that North Korea will not change its strategy of developing its nuclear capabilities.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) indicated that the projectile traveled a parabolic trajectory and could be a "new type of solid-fuel long-range ballistic missile." For its part, the Japanese defense minister reported that the missile flew for one hour and 26 minutes before falling into waters north of Japan, reaching a maximum altitude of 7,000 kilometers.
This launch occurred after a meeting in Washington between the U.S. and South Korean defense ministers, during which they condemned the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia. Additionally, South Korean intelligence services warned that Pyongyang has completed preparations for a new nuclear test and an intercontinental ballistic missile launch.
