Directly Observing North Korea's Hwasong-18 ICBM Launch Practice Monday, Kim Jong-un Gives Signal to Enemy

JAKARTA - North Korea on Tuesday confirmed the launch of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Monday, as an exercise to confirm the war readiness of its nuclear deterrent force, in the face of increasing hostility from the United States.

State news agency KCNA said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un witnessed an ICBM launch at the site. The missile reached an altitude of 6,518 km (4,050 miles), flew 1,002 km (623 miles), and accurately hit its intended target, as reported by Reuters December 19.

Leader Kim said the launch sent "a clear signal to hostile forces, which have been fanning the hysteria of their reckless military confrontation" against North Korea all year, KCNA said.

KCNA said the drills "demonstrate the DPRK's will to carry out the harshest countermeasures and its overwhelming power", referring to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Leader Kim presented "several new important tasks to accelerate the development of the DPRK's strategic nuclear forces," KCNA said without elaborating.

“The ruthless imperialist ambitions of the US and its vassal forces for confrontation will not abate on their own," he said, stressing "the need for the DPRK to never ignore all the enemy's reckless and irresponsible military threats."

As previously reported, South Korea and Japan said on Monday that North Korea had fired an ICBM with a range that could hit United States territory.

South Korea said the missile fired on Monday was a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM. The missile flew at a high trajectory and landed in the sea west of Hokkaido Island, Japan.

North Korean state media published what it said were photos of the launch, showing the missile rolling off a snow-covered field and accompanied by a cloud of smoke.

The ICBM's high trajectory and 74 minute flight time are compatible with an operational range of up to 15,000 km (9,300 miles) if launched on a standard, flatter trajectory, making the entire continental United States within reach.