Officials from Japan, South Korea, and the United States condemned the action.
North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday designed to threaten the United States, the first ICBM test in nearly a year.
The test comes less than a week before the U.S. presidential election and as North Korea sends thousands of troops to reinforce Russia’s military in the war in Ukraine. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un called the test “an appropriate military action” in response to threatening moves from its adversaries.
“The test-fire is an appropriate military action that fully meets the purpose of informing the rivals, who have intentionally escalated the regional situation and posed a threat to the security of our Republic recently, of our counteraction will,” Kim was quoted in North Korea state news, according to Reuters.
Officials in Japan, South Korea, and the United States identified the tested missile as an ICBM and condemned the launch for raising tensions, according to CBS News.
