[News Today] N.KOREA FIRES ICBM AT HIGH ANGLE

[LEAD]
North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, commonly known as an ICBM, today morning. This is the year's first ICBM test. It was likely launched at a high angle into the East Sea.

[REPORT]
North Korea fired a ballistic missile from an area near Pyongyang toward the East Sea at around 7:10 a.m. Thursday.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said that it was presumed to be a long-range, intercontinental ballistic missile.

The JCS analyzed that the missile was fired at a high angle.

The latest North Korean provocation came 43 days after the regime launched new tactical ballistic and cruise missiles last month.

This is Pyongyang's first ICBM launch of this year.

The North's last ICBM launch took place ten months ago, as it fired a Hwasong-18 last December.

The Japanese media reported that North Korea appeared to have fired the missile at a raised angle, which fell in waters some 300 kilometers west of Japan's Hokkaido.

It seems that Pyongyang conducted the ICBM launch in protest of South Korean and U.S. defense chiefs' joint statement strongly condemning the North for dispatching troops to Russia, which was issued early Thursday morning.

Prior to the launch, South Korea's military intelligence said that North Korea is also making preparations to carry out its seventh nuclear test at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

The military analyzed that the regime has apparently completed preparations for a nuclear test at the site.

Park Sun-won/ Intelligence Committee (DP)
N. Korea will highlight the nuclear issue before the U.S. pres. election. As Kim Jong-un visited uranium enrichment facility, it's possible that N. Korea could conduct a seventh nuclear test.

The military said that having reinforced surveillance and alert posture, it is maintaining a state of readiness while sharing information with the U.S. and Japan.