The country said through its state media that the “Pukgukson-2” missile launched on Sunday was an upgraded version of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
The announcement in Monday’s Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s Workers’ Party paper, said that Kim personally supervised the test.
The newspaper published photographs showing the missile being fired from a mobile launching pad using “cold-launch” technology.
This system employs compressed gas pressure to eject the missile from a tube on the ground before igniting it in mid-air. The photos show the missile going up amid whitish smoke that is typical when solid fuel is used.
The newspaper also carried a photo from space that it said was taken by a camera mounted on the missile.
Kim reportedly praised the launch, describing it as perfect, and said his country’s nuclear arms should be more diversified and advanced.
North Korea fired the ballistic missile from an area near Pukchang in South Phyongan Province on Sunday afternoon.
South Korea’s military said it flew to an altitude of 560 kilometers before falling into the Sea of Japan more than 500 kilometers from the launch site.
North Korea tested another missile one week before. The North’s leader reportedly said the Hwasong-12 is capable of reaching Hawaii, where the US Pacific Command is based, and Alaska.
Source and image: NHK
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