The latest announcement comes only six months after President Donald Trump tweeted that North Korea would not launch a nuclear weapon capable of reaching the US.
North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2017
Washington has now had to admit Pyongyang’s claim that it has developed the technology to potentially deliver a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.
The Pentagon confirmed that an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can potentially strike the United States was test-launched, after initially stating that the missile fired on Tuesday belonged to an intermediate-range category.
“We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies and to use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against the growing threat from North Korea,” the Pentagon spokeswoman said in a statement, condemning Pyongyang’s “escalatory launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile”.
Washington called a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
North Korea fired the missile at a steep trajectory reaching a very high apogee, thus limiting the range of the test launch. “North Korea launches Hwasong-14 ICBM at 0040 UTC Jul 4 from Kusong’s Panghyon Airport 933 km eastward to Sea of Japan, 2802 km apogee,” Jonathan McDowell tweeted.
With a light warhead, possibly a small nuclear load, the range could be up to 10 000 kilometers, and within reach of the north-western United States. It is also capable of carrying a “large, heavy nuclear warhead” KCNA added, as cited by AFP.