North Korea Claims December 17th Launch Was ICBM

As this publication reported yesterday, North Korea launched one short-range ballistic missile in the morning and a long-range missile in the afternoon. South Korean and Japanese defense officials claimed yesterday that the apogee and range of the missile indicated it was an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean state-owned media confirmed that assessment moments ago. The announcement from Voice of Korea reads below:."The intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwaseongpo-18" launch training was conducted as a major military activity to impress upon the enemy the overwhelming will to respond and the power of arms..This was carried out.General Secretary of the Workers' Party of KoreaGeneral Secretaryand Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Ishin Dear Kim Jong-unComrade He observed the launch training of the intercontinental ballistic missile unit on site..DearKim Jong-unComrade Commanders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's Missile General Directorate accompanied by observed the launch training. The intercontinental ballistic missile launch training was conducted with the purpose of inspecting the remote warfare posture of the Republic's nuclear war deterrent and confirming its mobility, combat capability, and reliability.Dearest Comrade Kim Jong-unfirst listened to the launch training plan while understanding the launch preparation process in the launch standby area..When Comrade Kim Jong-uncomradeascended to the Central Command and Observation Center and approved the launch of strategic weapons, General Jang Chang-ha, head of the Missile General Directorate, gave the launch order to the 2nd Red Crane Company. It was handed down. At that moment, a gigantic entity with absolute will and power to inflict merciless retaliation on the hostile forces confused by the ambition of an anti-DPRK nuclear confrontation soared ten thousand miles into the universe, cutting the air with a huge pillar of fire, accompanied by a powerful explosion that shocked the heavens and the earth.He said with full pride that this was a practical demonstration of the reality and reliability of the national armed forces' tremendous offensive power and absolute nuclear war deterrence.we expressed great satisfaction with the results of the launch training and said that the results of this training ComradeDearest military's most powerful strategic core strike means has been verified once again. The reliability of ourarmed forces Through the launch training, the combat power of the intercontinental ballistic missile unit was evaluated as excellent, and the rapid reaction posture and quick reaction posture of the republic strategy The launch training did not have any negative impact on the safety of neighboring countries. The launched missile rose to a maximum apogee altitude of 6,518.2km, flew a distance of 1,002.3km for 4,415s, and landed accurately in the target waters in the high seas of the East Sea of ??Korea.".The below photos show yesterdays ICBM launch: