Kim Jong Un: Latest ICBM Launch Proves North Korea’s Ability to Contain Nuclear Threat

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says Pyongyang's successful test-firing of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) confirms the country’s ability to contain any nuclear threat, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports.

State media reported that the North Korean leader had been at the launch site to "confirm once again that the nuclear forces of the DPRK have secured another reliable and maximum capacity to contain any nuclear threat."

"The test-fire clearly proved the reliability of the new major strategic weapon system to be representative of the DPRK's [Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s] strategic forces and its powerful combat performance as the strongest strategic weapon in the world," KCNA wrote.

Photos released by state media captured Kim touring the grounds prior to the launch as well as after the missile had undergone the test-launch. However, what caught the eyes of many also turned out to be photos that showed Kim overseeing the Friday test alongside his wife and daughter, whose existence had not been publicly confirmed prior.

The name of Kim's daughter, who is seen sporting a white coat in new photos, was not listed. It is believed that Kim has as many as three kids.

Although little is known about Kim's private life, in 2013 US basketball star Dennis Rodman revealed to British media that he had spent time with the Kim family. It was also noted at the time that the North Korean leader had a "baby" named Ju Ae.

On Friday, North Korea launched what was preliminarily identified as a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, also known as "monster rocket" capable of reaching the US mainland.

The South Korean military reported that the missile flew about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) and reached an altitude of 6,100 kilometers at a maximum speed of Mach 22, which is 22 times faster than the speed of sound. According to Japanese officials, the missile fell about 200 kilometers west of Hokkaido's Oshima Island, within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

According to KCNA, the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Pyongyang International Airport, traveled up to a maximum altitude of over 6,040 kilometers (over 3,753 miles) and flew over a distance of more than 999 kilometers (over 620 miles) in 4,135 seconds before landing in open waters of the Sea of Japan.

The new launch came a day after North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan and warned the United States and its allies that Pyongyang would respond proportionally to Washington's bolstering of extended deterrence.

North Korea has conducted dozens of missile test launches since the start of 2022, several missiles at once on some occasions. On November 2, North Korea launched more than 20 short-range missiles. Pyongyang has said that North Korea’s military-related activities come in response to provocations by South Korea, the United States, and Japan.