North Korea test-fires ballistic missile that can hit almost anywhere in America

After a months-long lull in activity, North Korea test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on what appears to have been a lofted trajectory. According to the Pentagon, the weapon flew for a distance of one thousand kilometers before splashing down near Japan…

While it should have been apparent to everyone after North Korea’s July 28 ICBM test that Pyongyang now possesses a weapon that can strike directly at the United States, this latest missile test removes any doubt that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has the capacity to hold the American homeland at risk. That holds true even if the North Korean weapon has not yet been perfected…

Arms-control expert and president of the Ploughshares Fund Joseph Cirincione told the National Interest that today’s test was a significant event. “This is a major development,” Cirincione said. “Their third successful ICBM test with the longest potential range yet. It appears to have the potential to go 13,000 miles, depending on the weight of the warhead.”