North Korea Fires Underwater Ballistic Missile

North Korea has announced it successfully tested a submarine-launched missile.

If confirmed would be a significant boost in North Korea’s arsenal.

Pictures on state media showed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un looking on as a missile shot out of the water.

Analysts say North Korea owns several nuclear warheads but this development would be an advance as submarine-fired devices are difficult to detect.

This latest test has not been independently verified.

State media described the missile emerging with “a fiery, blazing trail”, but did not mention the date or the location of the test.

One possibility is the eastern coastal city of Sinpo, where satellite images released earlier this year appeared to show a submarine being equipped with launch capabilities.

Kim Jong-un said North Korea now possessed a “world-level strategic weapon capable of striking and wiping out in any waters the hostile forces infringing upon [North Korea’s] sovereignty and dignity”, the reports said.

Such a test would violate UN sanctions banning North Korea from using ballistic missile technology.

Up to now, North Korea’s missiles have been land-based and only capable of hitting neighboring countries.

North Korea is also believed to be attempting to miniaturize nuclear weapons to fit on its missiles.