N. KOREA DISCLOSES LATEST MISSILE

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea confirmed that the missile that was launched towards the East Sea on Wednesday was its new submarine-launched ballistic missile and even released photos of its launch. The regime has essentially violated its promise to launch mid-to-long range missiles by firing the latest stealth weapon capable of striking the United States. It appears that Pyongyang has added pressure ahead of its meeting with Washington, yet still managed not to anger Washington too much.

[Pkg]

This is North Korea's new submarine-launched ballistic missile Pukkuksong 3. It was launched not from a submarine, but from an underwater launch pad attached to a barge. North Korea claims that the test launch of the Pukkuksong-3 was successful. The regime succeeded in developing a new type of SLBM just three years and five months after the launch of its first Pukkuksong missile.

[Soundbite] (KOREA CENTRAL TV) : "It is an important achievement that opened a new phase since it further strengthened the country's self-defense military capability."

The North added that the missile was launched at a higher angle. Judging from the altitude and flight distance assessed by the South Korean military, its maximum range appears to be more than 2,000 kilometers, about twice that of the existing SLBM. Also, unlike the past SLBMs, its warhead is round, more similar to the new Chinese missiles capable of carrying multiple warheads. It is very likely that the latest missile launch was aimed at provoking the United States since an SLBM is a strategic weapon that can threaten America. North Korea had promised not to launch any more mid-to-long range missiles. In an unusual move, however, North Korean chairman Kim Jong-un did not show up for the launch, just stopping short of angering Washington.

[Soundbite] PROF. YANG MOO-JIN(UNIV. OF N. KOREAN STUDIES) : "North Korea appears to have adjusted its level of provocation so as to not disrupt the talks ahead of the bilateral working meetings."

North Korea has employed both soft and hard-line approaches ahead of the working-level meetings. It appears to be the Pyongyang regime's way of pressuring the U.S. to come up with new proposals to facilitate the denuclearization talks.