US condemns North Korea’s launch of long-range ballistic missile

North Korea launched another long-range ballistic missile that may be capable of striking the US, Seoul and Tokyo, officials said.

The latest launch, which took place yesterday, extended a record number of weapons tests this year.

North Korea used a solid-fuelbased intercontinental ballistic missile in the launch.

South Korea’s military condemned what it called North Korea’s reckless provocations, adding that Pyongyang would be held responsible for any consequences of its actions.

“North Korea was strongly condemned for posing a serious threat to the peace and safety of the Korean peninsula and the international community by launching a solid-fuelled ICBM,” Seoul said after an emergency National Security Council meeting.

The US reaffirmed its commitment to the defence of Japan and South Korea after the ballistic missile launch, the White House said late on

Sunday. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with South Korea’s National Security Office director Cho Taeyong and Gen Akiba Takeo of Japan and condemned the missile test that was “a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions”, the White House said.

The launch followed the test of a shorter-range missile on Sunday night.

South Korea’s military said it detected the long-range ballistic missile from the Pyongyang area yesterday morning, adding that it flew 1,000km before splashing down in the East Sea.

Japan’s Defence Ministry said the weapon was an ICBMclass missile with a probable range of more than 15,000km that would cover all of the US.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the two launches as a “threat to peace and stability”, while the US State Department also condemned them.

“These launches, like the other ballistic missile launches Pyongyang has conducted this year, are in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions,” a State Department official said.

The Security Council has adopted many resolutions calling on North Korea to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes since the country first conducted a nuclear test in 2006.

North Korea previously testfired four ICBMs this year. It first launched the Hwasong-18 – its most advanced and powerful ICBM – in April, then again in July.

The Hwasong-18 is North Korea’s first ICBM to use solid fuel, which makes it easier to transport and faster to launch than liquid-fuelled versions.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff representative said the country’s senior military officials were analysing whether yesterday’s launch was a solidfuelled ICBM.

North Korea last year declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power and has repeatedly said it would never give up its nuclear programme, which the regime views as essential for its survival.