North Korea claimed to have tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in a launch on Tuesday.
The North has previously conducted satellite launches that critics say were disguised tests of its long-range missile technology.
But a test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, if confirmed, would be a major step forward in the country鈥檚 development of a nuclear-armed missile that can reach anywhere in the US.
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A weapons analyst said the missile could be powerful enough to reach Alaska.
The launch came on the eve of the US Independence Day holiday, days after the first face-to-face meeting of the leaders of South Korea and the US, and ahead of a global summit of the world鈥檚 richest economies.
A North Korean newsreader claimed聽the rocket flew 933 kilometres, reaching an altitude of 2802 kilometres over a flight time of 39 minutes.
If the reported time and distance are correct, the missile would have been on a very highly lofted trajectory and could have a possible maximum range of around 6700 kilometres, estimates , a US missile scientist聽at the Union of Concerned 快猫短视频s in Cambridge,聽Massachusetts. This could put Alaska in range, if fired at a normal trajectory, he says.
North Korea has a reliable arsenal of shorter-range missiles, but is still trying to perfect its longer-range missiles.
Some analysts believe North Korea has the technology to arm its short-range missiles with nuclear warheads, but it is unclear if it has mastered the technology needed to build an atomic bomb that can fit on a long-range missile.
Soon after the morning launch, President Donald Trump responded on Twitter: 鈥淣orth Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea and Japan will put up with this much longer.
鈥淧erhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!鈥�
Japan鈥檚 prime minister Shinzo Abe sharply criticised North Korea for the launch.
鈥淭he latest launch clearly showed that the threat is growing,鈥� he聽said.
