Kim Jong Un Fires Missile With Potential To Reach US Mainland After Threatening To Shoot Down Spy Planes

Kim Jong Un on Wednesday fired a suspected long-range intercontinental ballistic missile after North Korea repeatedly threatened to shoot down U.S. military spy planes. 

What Happened: South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired a missile from the Pyongyang area to waters off its east coast marking a potential new round of confrontation with Seoul and Washington, reported the BBC. 

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According to Japan’s Coast Guard, the missile was launched at 9:59 a.m. local time and descended into the Sea of Japan. The Coast Guard advised ships in the vicinity to be cautious and remain vigilant.

If verified, the flight duration would be similar to the flight times observed during North Korea’s missile tests in March and April this year. Both of those earlier tests involved intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which could reach the continental United States.

This came days after Pyongyang threatened to shoot down U.S. military reconnaissance planes that flew over nearby waters in the East Sea. The North Korean dictator's sister, Kim Yo Jong, alleged that a U.S. spy plane had intruded into North Korea’s exclusive economic zone on multiple occasions. 

"In case of repeated illegal intrusion, the U.S. forces will experience a very critical flight," Kim said on Tuesday.

Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com

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