This is the first complete test of an intercontinental ballistic missile by North Korea, since 2017; According to the published data on the missile’s trajectory, it only flew for a longer distance and a higher altitude than any of its predecessors, before hitting the sea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un led the missile test himself; “The emergence of the DPRK’s new strategic weapon will make the whole world clearly realize the strategic capability of our armed forces once again,” he said.
The South Korean military said it monitored the launch from Pyongyang’s Sunan Airport, adding that the missile flew about 1,080 kilometers for at least 70 minutes.
The launch drew condemnation from the leaders of the United States, Japan and South Korea. The White House condemned the missile launch and called on Pyongyang to “immediately cease its destabilizing actions.”
In a separate statement, the US Indo-Pacific command urged North Korea to refrain from further “destabilizing actions”.