North Korea confirms it has tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said it has tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea’s state Korean Central News Agency says that Thursday’s launch was caried out at the order or leader Kim Jong Un. KCNA says its flight records exceeded corresponding ones registered in any previous missile launches.

KCNA says Kim was present at the launch site. It cites Kim as saying that the launch was “an appropriate military action” to show North Korea’s resolve to respond to its enemies’ moves that has threatened the North’s safety.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story is below:

North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time in almost a year Thursday in a test of what may be a new, more agile weapon targeting the mainland U.S. and a possible attempt to grab American attention ahead of next week’s U.S. election.

The launch came as Washington warned that North Korean troops in Russian uniforms are heading toward Ukraine, likely to augment Russian forces and join the war.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett called the launch “a flagrant violation” of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions that “needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region.” Savett said the U.S. will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and its South Korean and Japanese allies.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea could have tested a new, solid-fueled long-range ballistic missile. Missiles with built-in solid propellants are easier to move and hide and can be launched quicker than liquid-propellant weapons.

JCS spokesperson Lee Sung Joon said the launch was possibly timed to the U.S.