North Korea confirmed on Friday it test fired its "new type" of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-17.
The country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, who directly guided the test, said that the "new strategic weapon of the DPRK would make the whole world clearly aware of the power of our strategic armed forces once again."
"He stressed that our national defense forces would possess formidable military and technical capabilities unperturbed by any military threat and blackmail and keep themselves fully ready for long-standing confrontation with the US imperialists."
Thursday's launch was the first time Pyongyang has fired Kim Jong Un's most powerful missiles at full range since 2017.
"We see this as part of a pattern of testing and provocation from North Korea... we think there is likely more in store," White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters travelling on board Air Force One with President Joe Biden.
The missile appears to have travelled higher and further than any previous ICBM tested by the nuclear-armed country -- including one designed to strike anywhere on the US mainland.
North Korea has conducted several tests of reconnaissance satellite systems in recent weeks, most recently last week when it failed to launch an unidentified projectile.
A senior US official said recently that two recent missile tests conducted by North Korea were of a new ICBM system.
