Kim ‘to launch gift to Yankees’
KIM Jong-un has supervised the test of a ballistic missile controlled by a precision guidance system and ordered the development of more powerful strategic weapons, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency says.
The North Korean leader expressed conviction that the country “would make a greater leap forward in this spirit to send a bigger ‘gift package’ to the Yankees”, in retaliation for American military provocation, KCNA said.
Pyongyang on Monday launched a Scud-class missile into the sea near Japan. The North’s official media routinely report on such missile launches on the following day.
North Korea confirmed its test-firing of a ballistic missile was “successful”.
Mr Kim “guided” the launch – the third missile test by the nuclear-armed regime in less than three weeks – which was carried out in defiance of UN sanctions and US threats of military action.
“The ballistic rocket flew toward the east sky where the day broke and correctly hit a planned target point,” the report said.
South Korea’s military earlier said the Scud-type missile travelled east for 450km.