North Korea Confirms Successful Missile Test

Seoul, July 4 (IANS): North Korea has confirmed that it had successfully conducted its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier in the day on the orders of leader Kim Jong-un, the media reported.

The Hwasong-14 missile was launched at around 9.40 a.m. (local time) from North Pyongan province and it reached an altitude of 2,802 km and flew 933 km for about 40 minutes before hitting a target in the East Sea, According to state broadcaster KCTV.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed the missile test in an emergency National Security Council session, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The US military characterised it as a "land-based, intermediate-range" missile.

"The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) assessed that the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America," the Hawaii-based Pacific Command said in a statement.

"We continue to monitor North Korea's actions closely."

“South Korea and the US are still analysing the apogee of the missile and other details” said Army Colonel Roh Jae-cheon, a spokesman for Seoul's Joint Chief of Staff (JCS).

"Our military is maintaining full preparedness against the possibility of North Korea's additional provocation," he told the media.

"North Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life?" Trump quickly reacted to the launch on Twitter referring to Kim Jong-un.

"Hard to believe that South Korea and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!"

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the media that the launch "ignores repeated warnings from the international community", and that "the launch this time shows its threat was further increased."