North Korea ‘within striking range of US’
Success of ballistic missile test puts Alaska almost within reach as West warns of ‘grave danger’
American officials confirmed North Korea’s claim yesterday to have successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, suggesting Pyongyang was now capable of attacking the continental US and provoking swift international condemnation. Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, said early this morning that the test of the Hwasong-14 missile had been a “gift” to “American b-------” on their Independence Day. Analysts suggested the test could be a game-changer in the nuclear stand-off.
US OFFICIALS confirmed North Korea’s claim yesterday to have successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), suggesting Pyongyang was now capable of attacking the continental US.
Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, said early this morning that the test of the Hwasong-14 missile had been a “gift” to “American b-------” on their Independence Day.
The country’s Academy of Defence Science claimed the test of marked the “final step” in creating a “confident and powerful nuclear state that can strike anywhere on Earth”. Mr Kim said the successful test completed the country’s strategic weapons capability, and warned that he would not negotiate with the US to give up those weapons until Washington abandoned its hostile policy against Pyongyang, the state-run Korea Central News Agency reported.
The US and South Korea conducted a joint anti-missile exercise early this morning to counteract the North’s “destabilising and unlawful” launch.
The Pentagon stated it was prepared to defend the US and its allies and to use all capabilities necessary against the growing North Korea threat.
The US has requested an urgent closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council, a spokesman for the US mission to the UN said last night. The meeting is expected to take place today.
The US tracked the missile’s path for 37 minutes. Experts said a flatter trajectory might give it a range of approximately 4,160 miles – an improvement on previous models and one that would put Alaska within reach. The Pentagon said it had a two-stage design of a type not seen before and its range was greater than the 3,400 miles required to be classed as ICBM.
Pyongyang still faces significant challenges in developing targeting systems and in scaling its nuclear weapons so they can be delivered by missile.
President Donald Trump repeated his demand that China do more to rein in Pyongyang. “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,” he tweeted.
Rex Tillerson, the US secretary of state, last night called for global action to stop North Korea.
He warned that any country that hosts North Korean workers, or provides economic or military aid to Pyongyang, or failed to implement United Nations sanctions “is aiding and abetting a dangerous regime”.
“All nations should publicly demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences to their pursuit of nuclear weapons,” Mr Tillerson said.
Russia and China sought to defuse tension by suggesting Pyongyang halt nuclear and missile tests while the US and South Korea refrain from largescale military exercises.
The joint statement, issued after talks between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, called the launch “unacceptable”, but also said North Korea had “sensible concerns” and urged the US not to deploy its Thaad missile system – designed to intercept projectiles launched from Pyongyang – on the Korean peninsula.
US and South Korean militaries were yesterday analysing the launch to determine whether it represented a true ICBM capability. The KCNA reported that Mr Kim observed the launch.
Analysts said the timing of the launch, when Barack Obama was in Seoul to attend a conference and as Americans prepared to mark their national day, was not mere coincidence.