North Korea claims missile test a success

North Korea's apparently successful launch of a mid-to-long range missile indicated a significant advance in its drive for an intercontinental ballistic missile, monitors said this morning, a worrying sign for the Korean peninsula and the United States.


The isolated North has said that the launch yesterday, supervised by leader Kim Jong-un, was aimed a tverifying the capability to carry a "large scale heavy nuclear warhead".

Mr Kim accused the United States of "browbeating" countries that "have no nukes" and warned the US not to misjudge the reality that its mainland is in the North's "sighting range for strike", the North's official KCNA news agency reported.

However, the US military's Pacific Command said on the type of missile that was fired was "not consistent" with an ICBM and South Korea's military played down the North's claim of technical progress on atmospheric re-entry.

"We believe the possibility of that is low," said Roh Jae-cheon, a spokesman for South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The missile landed in the sea near Russia yesterday in a launch that the US called a message to South Korea, days after its new president took office pledging to engage North Korea in dialogue.
 [rte.ie]
15/4/17
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