(LEAD) N. Korea confirms test-firing of Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM

▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un conducting a field guidance for a test-firing of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2023, shows the North firing of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-ICBM launch

(LEAD) N. Korea confirms test-firing of Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM

(ATTN: MODIFIES lead; UPDATES with more details throughout; CHANGES photos)

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day, with its leader Kim Jong-un vowing to take "stronger" military offensive until the U.S. abandons its hostile policy against his country.

Guided by its leader Kim, the North launched the Hwasong-18 ICBM in a test aimed at re-confirming technical creditability and operational reliability of the country's core weapon system, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It marked the North's second solid-propellant ICBM launch following its first test-firing on April 13.

The missile test came as North Korea issued sharp-tongued statements earlier this week condemning U.S. surveillance flights over its "economic water zone," threatening to shoot down American spy planes in case of a "repeated illegal intrusion."

The North's leader Kim said the latest missile launch is part of the regime's efforts to bolster self-defense against the "disaster of a nuclear war" and reckless military moves by the U.S. and South Korea.

He reaffirmed "a series of stronger military offensive will be launched until the U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppet traitors admit their shameful defeat of their useless hostile policy toward the DPRK in despair and give up their policy," the KCNA said.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The South Korean military said Wednesday that a long-range ballistic missile, fired at a lofted angle from Pyongyang areas, traveled around 1,000 km before splashing into the East Sea.

The North said the ICBM flew 1,001.2 kilometers for 4,491 seconds at a maximum altitude of 6,648.4 km, before accurately landing on a pre-set area in the water.

Why North Korea's latest missile test is even more threatening to the U.S.[https://youtu.be/yIHKzvnO5p8]

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved