North Korean missiles could hit 'everywhere in the world', US warns after latest successful test launch

An executive order from Kim Jong Un was broadcast on the country's state television and read: 'fire it bravely for the party and the motherland'

America has warned North Korea’s successful launch of a new style of intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated the rogue regime has the ability to hit “everywhere in the world”.

The ominous warning from US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis came as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the test helped North Korea achieve its long-held goal of becoming a nuclear power.

The new missile, topped with a “super-large heavy warhead”, reached an altitude of around 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the international space station.

It flew 950 km (600 miles) during its 53 minute flight.

North Korea: America has warned that the rogue state's successful launch of a new style of ballistic missile demonstrated it has the ability to hit “everywhere in the world”.
REUTERS

It comes as images of an executive order on a test-launch from Kim Jong Un was broadcast on the country's state television that read: “fire it bravely for the party and the motherland”.

The handwritten order visible on a screen, dated November 28 by Kim Jong Un, reads: "I order a test launch. Carry out on Nov 29 at dawn. Fire it bravely for the Party and the motherland!"

It was shown on screen during a broadcast of the missile being launched.

Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a possible range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) - more than enough to reach Washington DC, according to the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists.

“It went higher frankly than any previous shot they've taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically,” Mr Mattis told reporters at the White House.

North Korea: The new missile was topped with a "super-large heavy warhead"
AP

“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,” he added.

President Trump spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-In, with all three leaders reaffirming their commitment to combat the North Korean threat.

“It is a situation that we will handle,” insisted Mr Trump, just a week after he put North Korea back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism.

The North Koreans, who have defied international sanctions to conduct dozens of missile tests under Kim, claimed yesterday’s launch made history to make the nation a “responsible nuclear power.”

“After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, 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,” according to a statement read by a Pyongyang television presenter.

People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile
AP

The statement said the strategic weapons were intended to defend North Korea from "the US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said “diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now” but he warned that “the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic” travelling to North Korea.

Graphic News

Experts warned that Pyongyang is close to developing the technology to deliver a nuclear warhead atop an intercontinental ballistic missile, if it hasn’t already.

“We don't have to like it, but we're going to have to learn to live with North Korea's ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons,” said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies.

Senator Lindsey Graham, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, went one step further and raised the spectre of a looming nuclear conflict.

He told CNN that, “If we have to go to war to stop this, we will. If there's a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change.”

The UN Security Council was scheduled to meet today to discuss the launch, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned.

“This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community,” his spokesman said in a statement.

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