North Korea says it's ready to deploy and start mass-producing a new medium-range missile capable of reaching Japan and major U.S. military bases there following a test launch it claims confirmed the missile's combat readiness and is an "answer" to President Donald Trump's policies.
The solid-fuel Pukguksong-2 missile flew about 500 kilometers (310 miles) and reached a height of 560 kilometers (350 miles) Sunday before plunging into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea's media said more missiles will be launched in the future.
Trump, traveling in Saudi Arabia, had no immediate public comment.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the launch and watched from an observation post, state media reported Monday. The Korea Central News Agency said the test verified technical aspects of the weapon system and examined its "adaptability under various battle conditions" before it is deployed to military units.
Kim reportedly said the launch was a success, "approved the deployment of this weapon system for action" and said that it should "be rapidly mass-produced."
North Korea has significantly speeded up its missile tests over the past year or so and appears to be making tangible progress toward developing an arsenal that poses a threat not only to South Korea and Japan — which together host about 80,000 U.S. troops — but also toward an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States.
It's moving ahead with its nuclear weapons program as well.
The North conducted two nuclear tests last year. It claims one was a hydrogen bomb and the other device created a more powerful explosion than any the North has previous tested. Satellite imagery suggests it could be ready to conduct its next test — which would be its sixth — at virtually any time.
Pyongyang's often-stated goal is to perfect a nuclear warhead that it can put on a missile capable of hitting Washington or other U.S. cities.
North Korea's media, meanwhile, have stepped up their calls for even more missile launches because of what Pyongyang claims is an increasingly hostile policy by President Donald Trump.
"The Trump administration would be well advised to lend an ear to the voices of concern that are heard from the U.S. and the international community," the North's Minju Joson newspaper said in a commentary Sunday. "Many more 'Juche weapons' capable of striking the U.S. will be launched from this land. This is the DPRK's answer to the Trump administration.'"
"Juche," in this usage, refers to domestically produced and DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
UN emergency talks
A spokesman for Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters that South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities "assess that North Korea secured meaningful data in advancing the reliability of its missile technology through yesterday's missile launch".
But he added: "Our position is that the stable re-entry of the warhead needs more verification."
The U.S., South Korea and Japan sharply denounced the launch and jointly requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which will be held Tuesday.
The launch came just one week after the North fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile, which according to Pyongyang was capable of carrying a "heavy" nuclear warhead".
Analysts said that at 4,500 kilometers the Hwasong-12 had a longer range than any previous ballistic missile launched by the North, putting U.S. bases on the Pacific island of Guam within reach -- and that it could serve as a platform to develop a long-range ICBM.
Seoul's foreign ministry slammed the "reckless and irresponsible" weekend firing as "throwing cold water on the hope and longing of the new government and the international community" for demilitarization and peace on the Korean peninsula.
South Korea's new President Moon Jae-In has previously taken a more conciliatory line towards Pyongyang than his conservative predecessors, but has reacted strongly to the latest two missile tests.