New and Improved Missile Launched by North Korea, Lands in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone
North Korea fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile, one that has improved from their previous launches, which landed off the coast of Japan.
Early morning last Wednesday, North Korea launched the Hwasong-15, their newest type of intercontinental ballistic missile, which landed within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Japan, CNN confirmed.
Hwasong-15 flew a height of 2,800 miles, which is a lot higher than North Korea's previous missiles. It was also in the air for a total of 53 minutes, which was also longer than Pyongyang's previous launches, The New York Times reports.
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This was the first missile that North Korea launched since Sept. 15, and it is said to be a response to the United States President Donald J. Trump's action of putting them back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
President Trump addressed the incident on Twitter, announcing that he had already discussed the matter with China.
"Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!" his post reads.
However, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis addressed the newest missile launch with more urgency.
"The bottom line is, it's a continued effort to build a threat — a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly, the United States," Mattis explained.
North Korea claimed that the Hwasong-15 is their "most powerful" intercontinental ballistic missile, and it completes the country's "rocket weaponry system," which they have been developing for decades. The country even posed a threat that their new missile could bring nuclear war anywhere in the United States.
An official from North Korea said that they will not enforce any diplomacy towards the United States until they have shown their full capabilities in nuclear weaponry.
Fortunately, President Trump isn't looking to fight fire with fire yet. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said that "Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now" in regards to North Korea's threats.
