Pyongyang [North Korea], July 13: On July 13, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korea tested its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-18 on July 12.
North Korea said that during the test on July 12, the Hwasong-18 flew 1,001 km to an altitude of 6,648 km. The KCNA noted that the Hwasong-18's 74-minute flight time was the longest ever for a North Korean missile test . KCNA also wrote that during the second and third stages of the launch, the rocket flew in an inclined trajectory at a high altitude to ensure safety.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test of the Hwasong-18 on July 12 and vowed the country would take increasingly powerful measures to protect itself until the US and its allies give up. their hostile policies, according to KCNA.
The Hwasong-18 was first test-fired in April, and it is North Korea's first solid-fuel ICBM, which could enable faster missile deployment during war, according to Reuters.
KCNA stressed that the Hwasong-18 is the core weapon of the DPRK's nuclear strike force. "The test is an essential process for the further development of the DPRK's strategic nuclear force, while simultaneously building act as a strong realistic warning" to opponents, according to KCNA.
Accusing Washington of raising tensions by deploying submarines and bombers to the Korean peninsula, and conducting nuclear war planning with South Korea, KCNA warned of the military security situation. has reached a stage of nuclear crisis beyond the Cold War era.
KCNA asserted that the Hwasong-18 test "had no negative impact on the security of neighboring countries". Japan said the missile launched by North Korea on July 12 landed in waters east of the Korean peninsula and about 250 kilometers west of the northern Japanese island of Okushiri, according to Reuters.
South Korea and Japan on July 12 detected North Korea's new missile launch and joined the United States in condemning the launch.
The current President of the United Nations Security Council, Britain, said on July 12 that the Security Council would meet publicly on July 13 to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch, according to Reuters. The meeting was requested by the US, Albania, France, Japan, Malta and the UK.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
