North Korean leader Kim Jong Un trumpeted the success of a powerful new midrange ballistic missile test that state media said Thursday propelled one of the weapons more than 870 miles high, saying it would allow strikes on U.S. forces throughout the region.
(FOX)- That ability would back up years of threats and boasts from North Korea and has long been a worry for the United States and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul. It explains in part North Korea’s tenacious testing of the Musudan missile, which was only a success after five failures in about two months. The missile’s potential 2,180-mile range puts much of Asia and the Pacific within reach.
After observing the launch, Kim said it gives his country the “sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
Other governments said North Korea fired two Musduan missiles on Wednesday, after suffering four previous launch failures since April.
The first launch ended in failure. But Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the second launch demonstrated a “certain level of capability,” and could lead to a further strengthening of North Korea’s ballistic missile capabilities that can cover Japanese territory.