North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile

North Korea launched a Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday. The test was conducted under the personal supervision of Kim Jong Un, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, citing North Korean media. According to Pyongyang, the missile traveled a distance of 1,001 kilometers.

Japanese government secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Wednesday that the missile flew for 74 minutes, which Matsuno noted would be the “longest flight time ever” for a North Korean missile.

According to Japanese sources, the missile fell into the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, about 250 kilometers west of the Japanese island of Okushiri.

According to KCNA, the official Pyongyang news agency, Kim Jong Un he announced the further development of his country’s nuclear combat potential and the intensification of tests until United States they will not abandon their hostile policy towards North Korea.

“The current volatile situation where the security of the Korean peninsula is seriously threatened by hostile forces at any time requires intensified efforts to strengthen the nuclear deterrent capability,” Kim said in a statement to KCNA.

According to the Associated Press, this is a response to recent US efforts to strengthen South Korea’s security. The test has already been condemned by the US, South Korea and Japan.

In recent days, North Korea has repeatedly accused the US of “violating its economic zone by American planes” and condemned the visit of a US submarine armed with cruise missiles to South Korea, announcing retaliatory measures.