North Korea fires long-range missile
North Korea has test-launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, heightening the risk of a nuclear confrontation as it potentially puts the US with range.
It is a direct rebuke to US President Donald Trump’s earlier declaration that such a test “won’t happen!” .
NORTH KOREA has testlaunched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, a potential game-changing development in what may be the world’s most dangerous nuclear stand-off.
It is a direct rebuke to US President Donald Trump’s earlier declaration that such a test “won’t happen!” and appears to be North Korea’s most successful missile launch yet.
North Korea’s Academy of Defence Science said the test of an ICBM – the Hwasong-14 – marked the “final step” in creating a “confident and powerful nuclear state that can strike anywhere on Earth”.
It prompted President Trump to lash out in frustration with China for failing to do more to cut off support to North Korea.
Since he entered the White House, Mr Trump has talked about confronting Pyongyang and pushing China to increase pressure on the North, but neither strategy has produced fast results.
Yesterday he condemned China on Twitter, saying: “Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 per cent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us – but we had to give it a try!”
In his initial response to the launch, Mr Trump urged Beijing on Twitter to “put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!”
But he also said it was “hard to believe” that South Korea and Japan, the two US treaty allies most at risk from North Korea, would “put up with this much longer”.
Beijing has long resisted intensifying economic pressure on North Korea, in part out of fear of the instability that could result.
Mr Trump is due to meet Mr Xi and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at the G20 meeting in Germany.
US officials joined South Korea and Japan in requesting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
A US scientist examining the height and distance of the test said the missile could potentially be powerful enough to reach Alaska.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later confirmed it was indeed an intercontinental ballistic missile, calling it a “new escalation of the threat” to the US.
He said: “Global action is required to stop a global threat. Any country that hosts North Korean guest workers, provides any economic or military benefits, or fails to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions is aiding and abetting a dangerous regime.”
In response to the missile launch, US and South Korean soldiers fired “deep strike” precision missiles into South Korean territorial waters as a show of force.
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commanding officer of the British Armed Forces Joint Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Regiment, said: “In capability of missile terms and delivery, it is a major step up and they seem to be making progress week-on-week.”
He added, however, that “actually marrying the warhead to the missile is probably the biggest challenge, which they appear not to have progressed on”.
Marrying the warhead to the missile is probably the biggest challenge. British weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon