North Korea said on Thursday that it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in the morning on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un, with the test demonstrating the credibility of the country's "most powerful strategic deterrent."
Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying the ICBM launch was intended to send a warning to "rivals, who have intentionally escalated the regional situation and posed a threat to the security" of North Korea, referring to the United States and South Korea.
In response, the US military condemned North Korea's latest missile launch and called on it to refrain from further unlawful and destabilising acts, according to a statement issued by the US Indo-Pacific Command on Thursday.
South Korea's National Security Council (NSC) said on Thursday North Korea had again violated United Nations Security Council resolutions by firing the ICBM.
The NSC had decided to designate new sanctions on North Korea and work closely with allies and the United Nations to ensure that the international community's sanctions against North Korea can be implemented more strongly, a statement from the office of South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol said.
Yoon also ordered a strong response and thorough preparation to prevent North Korea from plotting any surprise provocations, the statement said.
According to the KCNA, Kim said North Korea will never change its stance of strengthening its nuclear arsenal.
This picture taken and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday shows the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during a test-fire conducted by the Missile Administration at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo: KCNA)