Ankara: North Korea said it had conducted a “surprise” exercise with an intercontinental ballistic missile amid military threats from the US and South Korea, state media reported Sunday.
Saturday afternoon’s missile launch from Pyongyang International Airport proved “the solid credibility of our powerful physical nuclear deterrent,” Anadolu news agency reported, citing the official KCNA news agency. rice field.
The Hwasong-15 ballistic missile, the first of North Korea’s drills in three months, landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone away from the Northern Territories, Kyodo News reported, citing the Japanese government.
The “surprise” launch triggered a flurry of protests and condemnation from Tokyo, Seoul and Washington.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has rejected the world’s condemnation and accused the United States and South Korea of ”destroying regional stability.”
In a statement, she warned that North Korea would “provide a responsive, very strong and overwhelming counterattack” to any hostile move.
According to North Korean state media, the missile flew 989 kilometers (614 miles) for 66.55 minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 5,768.5 kilometers (3,584 miles) before “precisely hitting a preset area” on the high seas. bottom. Japan.
That came just a day after North Korea denounced plans by the United States and South Korea to hold tabletop exercises scheduled for Wednesday and joint military exercises in March.
The missile, if launched on a normal trajectory, could potentially travel more than 14,000 km (8,700 miles) and reach anywhere on the U.S. mainland, Kyodo News reported, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada. quoted the statement of
Kim Yo-jong, a senior North Korean ruling party official, said her country was “not going to meet face-to-face” with South Korea yet.
“Tell the fools that our ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) will not be aimed at Seoul.”
South Korea should “consider the consequences of its reckless actions,” she warned. – Bernama
