North Korea claims it's ballistic Missile can Strike Us

North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un said his country had achieved full nuclear statehood on Wednesday after a groundbreaking missile test, in a challenge to US President Donald Trump who responded with promises of “ major sanctions ” .

Pyongyang on Wednesday tested its third intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) — which it claimed was capable of striking anywhere in the United States — snapping a two -month pause in activity .
“ Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea, ” Trump tweeted .
“ Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!”
During his call with Xi , the White House said Trump urged Beijing to use “ all available levers ” to press the hermit state.
Trump, who last week announced fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and returned it to a US list of state sponsors of terror, had been opaque in his immediate response, saying “ we will take care of it” , as the UN Security Council agreed to meet in an emergency session.
France ’ s United Nations Ambassador Francois Delattre said there should be a “ tightening of the sanctions , ” in response to the latest test.
Before assuming office , Trump had dismissed a North Korean statement declaring it was close to developing a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the US, vowing “ it won ’ t happen !”
North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun -Hee , a star presenter who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark.
“ Kim Jong- Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power , ” she said .
Wednesday’ s missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said .
“ The ICBM Hwasong - 15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super - large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US, ” the North’ s official news agency KCNA said .
Pyongyang said the missile reached an altitude of 4, 475 kilometres ( 2, 800 miles) and splashed down 950 kilometres from its launch site .
At least one Western expert said the missile’ s lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13, 000 kilometres — enough to hit every major US city .
Russia called the launch “ provocative” and China, North Korea’ s sole major ally and diplomatic protector , expressed “ grave concern and opposition ” .
Beijing once again pressed its proposal that the North stop missile and nuclear tests in exchange for a freeze of US military exercises.
Washington has repeatedly rejected the suggestion.
– Global strike threat –
David Wright, an arms control expert and co- director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the flight parameters of Wednesday ’ s test pointed to a missile with “ more than enough range to reach Washington DC , and in fact any part of the continental United States ” .
There were scenes of jubilation in tightly controlled Pyongyang, where residents gathered in front of a large screen to watch the news .
“ I just want to ask a question to Trump: ‘ Can you still dare to backbite about our country?’ ‘ Can you continue to do it even when Hwasong- 15 is fired to the US mainland?’ , ” asked Jang Kwang Hyok, 32.
While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re - entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earth ’ s atmosphere , experts believe it is at least on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability .
A US official , speaking on condition of anonymity , told AFP that the US has not changed its assessment that its missile defense systems can stop a North Korean missile attack , though the guarantee cannot be ensured indefinitely.
North Korean state media said its weapons “ would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon . This is our solemn declaration. ”
Melissa Hanham , senior research associate with the East Asia Nonproliferation Program of the Middlebury Institute, said this could indicate a diplomatic off - ramp from the present standoff with the US.
“ Perhaps this is an out , ” she wrote on Twitter . “ A way to say they’ ve achieved what they want , as long as we treat them the way they want to be treated. ”
– Competing strategies –
In September Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test and then fired an intermediate -range missile over Japan .
Trump spoke by phone with both Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae- In after Wednesday’ s test to underline the global threat .
Trump is close to Abe , but relations with his South Korean counterpart — whom he has accused of appeasing Pyongyang — are far cooler , and there are concerns in Seoul that the US president might be considering military action against the North that could trigger a full- scale war .
Seoul is home to 10 million people and only about 50 kilometres from the border — well within range of Pyongyang’ s artillery's.