Pyongyang tests intercontinental ballistic missile

Photo: DPRK launches intercontinental ballistic missile/AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS

North Korea appears to have tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, October 31, Reuters reports. The ICBM's flight time was reportedly the longest for North Korea's missile force to date.

The test came amid warnings from South Korea that Pyongyang may be seeking missile technology from Russia in exchange for sending troops to help in the war in Ukraine. Seoul has also warned that North Korea could conduct a nuclear test, roughly timed to coincide with the U.S. presidential election on November 5.

According to Reuters, the missile was launched near Pyongyang on a high-angle trajectory, reached an altitude of 7,000 kilometers (4,300 miles), and fell about 300 kilometers (196 miles) off the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

“We believe North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile at a high angle,” – the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The United States strongly condemned the North Korean ICBM launch, calling it a “flagrant violation” of UN Security Council resolutions. In a statement, Sean Savett, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said that while the test did not pose an immediate threat to American personnel or US allies, it unnecessarily escalates tensions and risks destabilizing the region.

“It only demonstrates that the DPRK continues to prioritize its illicit WMD and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people,” the statement said.