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North Korea fires ICBM-class missile after condemning 'war' moves

18 December 2023 09:11 (UTC +04:00)

North Korea fired an ICBM-class missile on Monday with a range capable of reaching anywhere in the United States, a Japanese official said, marking its second missile launch in hours as Pyongyang condemned a U.S.-led show of force as "war" moves, APA reports citing Reuters.

The ICBM missile has a potential to travel more than 15,000 km (9,300 miles), meaning it can reach anywhere in Japan and the mainland United States, Japan's Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense Shingo Miyake said.

Last week, South Korea warned the North may be readying to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday's missile was fired from an area near the capital Pyongyang towards the sea off the North's east coast and flew about 1,000 km.

Japan's defence ministry reported the flight lasted 73 minutes, just short of the 74 minute flight by an ICBM North Korea fired in July. It reached a maximum altitude of more than 6,000 km (3,728 miles) and fell into the sea west of Hokkaido outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japan said.