North Korea provoked a furious response from South Korea after testing yet another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) over the Sea of Japan.
Shocking footage released by the South Korean Defence Ministry shows the country’s military test three missiles in retaliation to the North Korean launch.
The powerful blasts fired up the sky over Seoul mere minutes after North Korea launched its Hwasong-15 missile – a more advanced version than other ICBMs in Pyongyang’s arsenal.
The latest power show from the Kim regime fuelled fears North Korea could soon trigger World War 3.
Japanese media reported the missile flew in the air for 50 minutes, signalling a very high altitude flight path.
The Hwasong-15 travelled eastwards for nearly 620 miles before crashing into the Sea of Japan.
A South Korean army official said: “North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile early this morning from Pyongsong, South Pyongyang to the east direction. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff are analysing more details of the missile with the US side.”
North Korea’s test comes one week after US President Donald Trump announced Pyongyang would be re-added to the US list of countries sponsoring terrorism – a move which will allow Mr Trump to impose more sanctions on the rogue nation.
But reports from North Korea TV claim the newest addition to Kim’s arsenal of weapons could be capable of reaching the continental US and have nuclear capability.
The claim has not been independently verified but experts warned North Korea might soon demonstrate it has all of the United States in range – further feeding fears of World War 3 threats.
Washington has said repeatedly said that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: “Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now.”
Head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies Jeffrey Lewis said: “We don’t have to like it, but we’re going to have to learn to live with North Korea’s ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons.”