North Korea confirmed that it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Saturday and said the maneuver demonstrated its ability to launch a “deadly nuclear counter-strike” amid tensions over impending US and South Korean military exercises.
The KCNA news agency said the weapons test, the first in seven weeks, was conducted to bolster “the warfare capability of the ICBM units, which are ready for a powerful mobile counterattack.” The launch is “clear proof” of the reliability of North Korea’s “powerful nuclear deterrent,” the note added.
In response to North Korea’s launch of the ICBM, The United States and South Korea held joint air exercises on Sunday. with a strategic bomber and stealth fighters.