North Korea launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in months on Wednesday, just days after it accused the United States of violating its airspace.
The missile was fired about 10 a.m. local time and flew 620 miles and a maximum altitude of 3,730 miles before it landed in water between Japan and the Korean peninsula, officials from South Korea and Japan said. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the missile flew for 74 minutes, which is the longest time recorded by any weapon launched by North Korea.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida were attending the NATO summit as North Korea launched its missile, and Yoon called for an emergency meeting over the launch Wednesday morning.
The U.S. condemned North Korea for the launch, saying it was in violation of numerous United Nations resolutions. National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge said in a statement the U.S. will “take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and Republic of Korea and Japanese allies.”
“This launch is a brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region,” Hodge said. “This action demonstrates that the DPRK continues to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people.”
“The door has not closed on diplomacy, but Pyongyang must immediately cease its destabilizing actions and instead choose diplomatic engagement,” Hodge added.
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Monday that Pyongyang’s warplanes forced a U.S. spy plane to retreat over its waters.
She said that while North Korea “will not take a direct counteraction against the U.S. forces’ acts of espionage outside the economic water zone of the DPRK side,” there would be “clear and resolute actions” if the U.S. sent another plane.
North Korea has ramped up its warnings against the U.S. and South Korea about joint military drills conducted by them that recently restarted.
This launch comes after North Korea tested another ICBM in April, one that was harder to detect than other previous missiles. The Associated Press reported the latest launch was likely another test of the Hwasong-18 ICBM Pyongyang tested in April.
The Associated Press contributed.
Updated at 9:12 a.m.