TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said that recent test launch of an intermediate-range missile has provided the country with the capability to attack US assets in the Pacific, as reported by Reuters on Thursday, Une 23, 2016.
South Korean and US military officials said that North Korea has launched what appeared to be two intermediate-range missiles called Musudan on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. The first of the two missiles was considered to be a failure.
Mehile, the second missile managed to reach a high altitude in the direction of Japan before plunging into the sea some 400 km (250 miles) away from Japanese territories, the officialsstated.
The test-fire was claimed to be a success without putting the security of neighbouring countries at risk, according to North Korea's KCNA news agency.
"We have the sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre," KCNA quoted Kim's statement.
The missile, which is fired from mobile launchers, has a design range of more than 3,000 km (1,860 miles), meaning all of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam are potentially within reach.
A spokesman for South Korea's military, Jeon Ha-gyu, said the second launch demonstrated "technical progress in terms of its engine capacity". However, Jeon said it would not be meaningful to discuss whether it was a success because it was not a normal flight.
REUTERS
