North Korea had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, which flew for 86 minutes – the longest flight recorded yet – before falling into waters off its east, according to South Korea and Japan. The ICBM was launched at a sharply-raised angle and reached as high as 7,000km (4,350 miles), violating UN restrictions. Thursday’s launch occurred amid deteriorating relations between the two Koreas and North Korea’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric towards Seoul. South Korea had also cautioned that North Korea was preparing to fire its ICBM close to the US presidential election on 5 November. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that the launch demonstrates their commitment to responding to their enemies and described it as appropriate military action. The US condemned the launch as a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. South Korea announced that it would impose new sanctions on North Korea in response to the launch. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also denounced the launch as clear violations of relevant Security Council resolutions. China expressed concern over the launch. North Korea last fired an ICBM in December 2023, in defiance of UN sanctions. Experts believe the launch was aimed at increasing the missiles’ payload. Japan monitored Thursday’s launch, while South Korean and US officials agreed to take strong response measures. The alleged presence of North Korean troops in Russia has raised concerns about deepening ties between Putin and Kim, although Pyongyang and Moscow have not confirmed these allegations.
