North Korea has announced that it was able to conduct a successful underwater test-fire of a submarine-launched ballistic missile. Kim Jong-Un, the country's leader, was reported to have attended the missile launch, describing it as a "world-level strategic weapon," according to the reclusive state's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
According to the broadcast, the official press release stated that "a ballistic missile surfaced from the sea and soared into the air, leaving a fiery trail of blaze," according to Reuters.
"Through the test, it was verified and confirmed that the underwater ballistic missile launch from a strategic submarine fully achieved the latest military, scientific and technical requirements," the KCNA broadcast added.
Kim Jong-un has praised the test launch, calling it an "eye-opening success" and declaring that North Korea now has a weapon capable of "striking and wiping out in any waters the hostile forces infringing upon the sovereignty and dignity of North Korea," The Guardian reported.
This test came just a day after the North issued threats of unannounced attacks to the South due to ongoing dispute over territorial waters.
If the tests were indeed successful and if the broadcast is accurate, it would indicate that North Korea has taken a significant step forward towards improving its military strength, making it an even bigger threat to countries such as South Korea and Japan. It would even be able to attack U.S. military bases in East Asia, according to The Guardian.
The United Nations has issued a sanction banning North Korea from developing ballistic missile technology. However, the state has completely ignored these sanctions.
The North's state media has often boasted of massive milestones in its military and space programs, including the launch of a fully-functional communications satellite, Reuters reported. However, such claims usually end up unverified by experts.
On December 2012, it was believed that North Korea was able to launch a long-range rocket despite international warnings not to pursue such a military program. Programs such as these have the capability to be further develop as a system that can produce and launch intercontinental missiles.
The state also test-fired a mid-range missile in March last year, drawing further criticisms and condemnation from the international community.
