SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has thanked workers at a factory that built the tires for a huge vehicle used to transport a new intercontinental ballistic missile that was test-launched this week.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency says Kim in September tasked the Amnokgang Tire Factory to produce the large-size tires for the 9-axle missile trucks during preparations for the “great event in November.”
South Korea’s military says the Hwasong-15 ICMB, launched Wednesday, is potentially capable of striking targets as far as 13,000 kilometers (8,100 miles), which would put Washington within reach.
This Nov. 29, 2017, image provided by the North Korean government on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, third from left, and what the North Korean government calls the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
The KCNA says Kim complimented workers and called for further efforts to raise production to satisfy the “the daily-increasing needs in developing the country’s economy and beefing up national defense capabilities.”
In this image provided on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, by the North Korean government, what the North Korean government calls the Hwasong-15, a “significantly more” powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, is launched in North Korea on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
Military personnel gather at Kim Il Sung Square on Friday Dec. 1, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Tens of thousands of North Koreans attended a rally Friday in Pyongyang’s central Kim Il Sung Square to make a show of support for the country’s latest missile test. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)
Fireworks explode above the Taedong river as people gather at Kim Il Sung Square for a rally on Friday Dec. 1, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Tens of thousands of North Koreans attended a rally Friday in Pyongyang’s central Kim Il Sung Square to make a show of support for the country’s latest missile test. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)
Military personnel gather at Kim Il Sung Square on Friday Dec. 1, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Tens of thousands of North Koreans attended a rally Friday in Pyongyang’s central Kim Il Sung Square to make a show of support for the country’s latest missile test. The signage behind them reads “Long Live General Kim Jong Un who brought about great victory in the historic and great cause of completing the state nuclear force and cause of building a rocket power.” (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)
North Koreans gather at Kim Il Sung Square for a rally on Friday Dec. 1, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Tens of thousands of North Koreans attended a rally Friday in Pyongyang’s central Kim Il Sung Square to make a show of support for the country’s latest missile test. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.