[Yonhap News Photo]
North Korea claimed Sunday to have conducted the successful test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile that could hit targets in South Korea and the United States any time.
The launch was watched by leader Kim Jong-un who said North Korea has secured "access to one more means for a powerful nuclear attack", according to Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency.
Kim praised officials and scientists for having successfully developed technology for the underwater launch from a strategic submarine, it said.
The missile was launched from its maximum underwater depth, and that its ejection mechanism and high performance engine using solid fuel worked well, along with its flight controls and warhead release system, KCNA said.
Kim said North Korea has a powerful nuclear arsenal and a credible delivery system but urged scientists to bolster its nuclear force to launch a nuclear attack on Seoul and Washington any time.
Military officials in Seoul said North Korea's SLBM, fired at around 6:30 pm (0930 GMT) Saturday off its east coast, flew just about 30 kilometers (18 miles), indicating the test probably had failed.
However, South Korea condemned the SLBM test as a "clear violation" of UN resolutions and said it would pose a serious threat to global and regional peace.
"This is a serious threat to peace and security in Northeast Asia and in the world," the South's foreign ministry said in a statement, warning North Korea would be put under tighter sanctions and pressure.
The South's defense ministry said progress might have been made in the North's SLBM technology, although it may take several years to deploy it.
Last December, Pyongyang claimed to have successfully conducted the SLBM "ejection" test, but US and South Korea experts said the earlier test failed.
Last month, 38 North, the website of a US research institute, said North Korea has been "actively" pursuing the development of its SLBM and the GORAE (whale)-class experimental ballistic missile submarine.
38 North warned that the North's SLBM program represents "an emerging rather than a current threat".
"Despite legitimate concerns about North Korea’s development of an SLBM and a ballistic missile submarine having a significant effect upon regional security, these developments represent an emerging rather than a current threat," it said.
38 North said that deployment of such operational systems is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor and there is no guarantee of success.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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