North Korea launches country’s largest-ever ICBM missile

North Korea launched a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday, 18 November.

According to Japan’s defence minister Yasukazu Hamada, the weapon had the range to reach the mainland of the United States.

Footage from state-run broadcaster Korean Central Television shows the countdown to the launch of the missile, and the weapon being launched.

Japanese officials said the missile landed approximately 124 miles (200km) west of Oshima-Oshima island.

North Korea has launched more than 50 missiles in the last two months. Most of them were short-range; long-range missile launches are rarer.

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