Kim Jong-un issued a statement after North Korea launched an ICBM.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced today, October 31, that it has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that set a record surpassing all previous tests, according to KCNA News Agency.

Also according to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said at the ICBM launch site that dangerous moves by North Korea's enemies have highlighted the need to strengthen the country's nuclear power.

Mr. Kim also declared that North Korea will never change its stance on strengthening its nuclear arsenal, according to KCNA.

This photo released by KCNA on December 19, 2023 shows the test launch of the Hwasongpho-18 ICBM at an undisclosed location in North Korea.

Mr. Kim made the above statement after the South Korean military confirmed that North Korea launched a new type of solid-fuel ICBM towards the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan this morning, October 31.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile launched by North Korea this morning flew about 1,000 km before falling into the above-mentioned sea area, according to Yonhap.

According to South Korea and Japan, the missile launched by North Korea flew for 87 minutes, longer than the last ICBM test launch in December 2023, which lasted 73 minutes.

The Japanese government assessed the missile's trajectory to be 7,000 km high and flew 1,000 km, calling it an ICBM.

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A US official also told Reuters that the missile launched by North Korea this morning was an ICBM. The US Indo-Pacific Command later issued a statement condemning North Korea's latest missile launch and calling on Pyongyang to refrain from "further unlawful and destabilizing actions".

The last ICBM North Korea tested in December 2023, called the Hwasong-18, used solid fuel and had a flight time that could suggest a potential range of up to 15,000 km on a normal trajectory. With this range, the Hwasong-18 could target anywhere in the continental United States, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-kim-jong-un-ra-tuyen-bo-sau-khi-trieu-tien-phong-icbm-185241031110050984.htm