North Korea fires intercontinental ballistic missile into Japan's territory

North Korea on Sunday said it had conducted its latest long-range missile test as a surprise drill, saying it demonstrated its capacity for “fatal nuclear counterattack".

The intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, fired Saturday landed in waters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to Japan and South Korea.

It was the North’s first missile test since January 1, and followed warnings by the country of a strong response to upcoming US-South Korean military drills.

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on Sunday warned Washington and Seoul of an “overwhelming response” to perceived “hostility”.

North Korea’s state news agency said its missile had flown for 1 hour, 6 minutes and 55 seconds, as high as 3,584 miles, then accurately hit an area 614 miles away in open waters.

It said the launch of the Hwasong-15, one of North Korea’s three existing ICBMs, was organised “suddenly” without notice on the order of leader Kim Jong Un.

“The important bit here is that the exercise was ordered day-of, without warning to the crew involved,” Ankit Panda, a missile expert at the Washington–based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Reuters.

“The amount of time between the order and the launch is likely going to be decreased with additional testing.”

Nuclear-armed North Korea launched more than 70 missiles in 2022 — a record number for a single year. These included ICBMs theoretically capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

At the same time, it resumed preparations for its first nuclear test since 2017.

North Korea said the launch of the Hwasong-15 was meant to further boost its “fatal” nuclear attack capacity against its rivals.

It demonstrates the North’s “powerful physical nuclear deterrent”, according to state news agency, Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA. It is also “proof” of its efforts to “turn its capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces” into an extremely strong one that cannot be countered, it said.

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Park Jin said the Russian invasion of Ukraine had emboldened Pyongyang, with Saturday's launch signalling its intent to conduct “additional provocations”.

"If North Korea conducts the seventh nuclear test, which could happen at any time, it will be a game changer in a sense that North Korea could develop and deploy tactical nuclear missiles," Park told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Leader Kim Jong Un gave orders to launch the missile the day after he took his young daughter Ju Ae to a football match.

It’s the latest in a string of public appearances for the girl, believed to be about 10 years old, that has led to speculation that she is being primed to succeed her father.

The pair were pictured clapping and smiling while watching a ceremonial game between workers from the Cabinet and the defence ministry to celebrate the birthday of Kim’s father, and the country’s previous ruler, the late Kim Jong Il, according to KCNA.