WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On July 4, North Korea announced it had successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, saying it traveled 580 miles and reached an altitude of 1,740 miles during its 39-minute flight before accurately hitting a targeted area in the Sea of Japan. The test immediately prompted sharp criticism from the international community.
Following the launch, the Russian Defense Ministry disputed Pyongyang's claim, saying the missile's flight parameters indicated it reached an altitude of 535 kilometers (332 miles) and traveled 510 kilometers before falling in central Sea of Japan. However, US officials believe that Pyongyang had successfully launched an ICBM for the first time.
"We are trying wide variety of methods [to address the issue]… However, time is running out a bit. North Korea is extremely dangerous and gets more dangerous as the weeks go by," Milley said at the National Press Club.
On Wednesday, STRATCOM Commander Gen. John Hyten said that the US will incorporate North Korea’s intercontinental missile development program into its defense reviews.
