Day: December 18, 2023

North Korea launched a possible intercontinental ballistic missile on Monday morning in what analysts said indicated the growing reliability of the reclusive state’s illegal weapons program.

The missile launched Monday exhibited the range to hit anywhere in the United States, according to a preliminary assessment from the Japanese Defense Ministry.

“The ICBM-class ballistic missile launched this time, if calculated based on the trajectory, depending on weight of warhead, could have a flying range of over 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), meaning the whole of the US territory would be within range,” Shingo Miyake, parliamentary vice-minister of defense, told reporters at a news conference in Tokyo.

North Korea just test-fired a ballistic missile with the potential to reach the entire US. https://t.co/WltQPMtsgi pic.twitter.com/9EfFe7IFaI

— End Time Headlines (@EndTimeHeadline) December 18, 2023

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The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has ramped up its defensive capabilities in recent years as the United States has sought an expanded presence in the region.

The DPRK made a highly-visible show of force Sunday when it fired a short-range ballistic missile on the 12th anniversary of the death of ex-leader Kim Jong Il.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the incident shortly after the missile’s launch at about 10:38 pm. Although South Korean National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo had recently speculated the North could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile in the coming days, the projectile was confirmed as a short-range variety.

The missile reportedly flew about 570 kilometers before landing in the sea.

“While elevating our alert readiness, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture by closely sharing data on the ‘North Korean ballistic missile’ with the United States and Japan,” said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement.

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