North Korea "Succeeded in test-firing the new Hwasung artillery-19...Finalized ICBM"

North Korean media "test-fired the new ICBM Hwasung artillery-19 yesterday"

"maximum peak altitude of 7,687.5km...Flight 85 minutes 56 seconds"

Increased altitude and time than 'Hwasong-18' at the end of last year

Kim Jong-un's map of the launch site...My daughter Jooye accompanied me.

[Anchor]
North Korea quickly reported the news of an intercontinental ballistic missile launched yesterday.

It is a new type of 'Hwasongpo-19' and claimed to be the final finished version of ICBM.

I'm connecting with the reporter. Reporter Lee Jong Won!

Please tell us more about the news reported by the North Korean media.

[Reporter]
Yes, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, reported in detail about the missile launched yesterday along with about 20 photos.

The first missile launched was a new intercontinental ballistic missile, which claimed to be the Hwasong artillery type-19.

It rose to a maximum altitude of 7,687.5km, and flew a distance of 1,001.2km for 85 minutes and 56 seconds and landed in the target waters scheduled for high seas in the East Sea.

Launched in December last year, the Hwasong-18 had a peak altitude of 6,500 kilometers, a flight distance of 1002.3 kilometers, and a flight time of 73 minutes and 58 seconds.

According to North Korea's claim, the maximum peak altitude of the Hwasong-19 type launched yesterday increased by about 1,000 kilometers and the flight time increased by 12 minutes.

Yesterday, Kim Jong-un personally guided the test launch site and his daughter Joo-ae was also seen accompanying him.

The news agency said yesterday that the success of the test was a crucial test to mark a milestone in perpetuating the absolute dominance of the Republic's strategic force.

He also claimed that the new ICBM Hwasong-19 is the final ICBM to be operated with the existing Hwasong-18 under the national nuclear force construction plan presented at the 8th Labor Party Congress in 2021.

Chairman Kim also expressed satisfaction, saying that the success of the new ICBM launch has shown the world that the hegemonic position secured in the development of nuclear force is absolutely irreversible, the newspaper said.

Earlier, North Korea fired intercontinental ballistic missiles and ICBMs from Pyongyang to the East Sea at around 7:10 a.m. yesterday morning.

The South Korean military analyzed that North Korea may have launched a new ICBM that uses solid fuel.

I'm Lee Jongwon of YTN in the political department.