North Korea says Pukguksong-2 missile ready for deployment
North Korea on Monday declared its medium-range Pukguksong-2 missile ready for deployment after a weekend test, the latest step in its quest to defy UN sanctions and develop a weapon capable of striking US targets, Agence-France Presse reported.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency said the North’s leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw Sunday’s launch, which sparked a fresh chorus of international condemnation and threats of tougher sanctions, AFP added.
According to AFP, it was the latest in a series of launches this year, as Pyongyang steps up its efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States — something President Donald Trump has vowed “won’t happen”.
The launches, and a threatened sixth nuclear test, have fuelled tension with the Trump administration, which has warned that military intervention was an option under consideration, sending fears of conflict spiralling, AFP reaffirmed.
The latest missile tested was the Pukguksong-2, which uses solid fuel that allows for immediate firing, KCNA said.
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