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‘N. Korea completes the nuclear force,’ says Kim Jong Un

‘N. Korea completes the nuclear force,’ says Kim Jong Un

Posted November. 30, 2017 08:23,   

Updated November. 30, 2017 09:24

한국어

North Korea tested a nuclear-capable missile after 75 days of silence. Following the launch of the missile with the supposedly longest range, the North declared the completion of the nuclear force. In response to the North’s unexpected provocation, all eyes are now on U.S. President Donald Trump’s next step as he said, “We will take care of it,” hinting at direct action to the North.

In an official statement released on Wednesday, North Korea said that it successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, named as the Hwasong-15, which was newly developed based on political decision and strategic determination of the Korean Workers’ Party. According to the North’s statement and South Korea’s military briefing, the North launched the missile from Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province around 3:18 a.m. and the missile travelled about 53 minutes before falling into the East Sea. The North claimed that the missile reached a peak altitude of 4,475 kilometers and flew 950 kilometers.

Experts say North Korea has set new records for its missile in terms of the highest altitude, the longest travel time and the longest range. When calculated by the peak altitude of the missile, the missile range extends over 13,000 kilometers at maximum. The distance from the North to Washington, D.C. is 11,000 kilometers. “The missile is capable of carrying a large-sized heavy nuclear warhead that can strike the U.S. mainland,” the North said in its statement.

After the Hwasong-15 missile was launched and the tension escalated on Tuesday (local time), President Trump suggested a certain action, by saying, “We will take care of it.” “It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis told reporters, expressing his concern about the North’s missile provocation.