(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) TOKYO, July 13 (KUNA) -- North Korea on Thursday confirmed that it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) a day earlier, which it called the core weapon system of its strategic force, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally guided the launch of a new type of the Hwasong-18 missile on the spot, which traveled up to a maximum altitude of 6,648.4 km and flew 1,001.2 km for about 75 minutes before "accurately landing on the preset area" in the open waters in the East Sea (Sea of Japan), the KCNA said.
"The test-fire was aimed at re-confirming the technical creditability and operational reliability of the new-type ICBM weapon system," the report said, adding that the launch is an essential process aimed at further developing the strategic nuclear force of the country.
Kim expressed great satisfaction over the results of the test-fire, saying with pleasure, "this eventual success which fully demonstrated the might of the DPRK fully equipped with the firm nuclear war deterrence for self-defense and the overwhelming offensive power serves as another important stride in developing the strategic force of the DPRK."
Kim also reaffirmed that "a series of stronger military offensives will be launched until the US imperialists and the south Korean puppet traitors admit the shameful defeat of their useless hostile policy toward the DPRK in despair and give up their policy," according to the KCNA.
It marked the North's second solid-propellant ICBM launch following a test conducted on April 13. "All the new records confirmed through the test-fire proved the capability, reliability and military utility of the new-type strategic weapon system and verified the undoubted dependability of the nuclear strategic force of the DPRK," the report said.
Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday underscored that the South Korean military, in coordination with the US, is maintaining a "firm" readiness posture based on "overwhelming" response capabilities, the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency said. Solid-fuel ICBM is one of the high-tech weapon systems that the recalcitrant regime has vowed to develop, along with a military spy satellite and a nuclear-powered submarine.
Solid-fuel missiles are known to be harder to detect ahead of launch than liquid-propellant ones, which require more prelaunch preparations, such as the injection of fuel. (end)
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