North Korea proves it CAN hit Guam with fresh missile launch: Kim Jong-un brags that he has 'won a shining victory' over America after firing missile 2,300 miles - enough to hit US territory
North Korea has launched another intercontinental ballistic missile over northern Japan
Test missile landed 1,240 miles off the island of Hokkaido, just before 7am local time on Friday
It flew some 2,300 miles, which is far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam
Yesterday, North Korea threatened to bomb Japan after the latest round of UN sanctions
In response to the launch, the Japanese government said they will not tolerate more provocation
Kim Jong-un has called Friday's missile test launch over Japan a 'shining victory in the standoff with the United States', claiming that the U.S. is in 'mortal fear' of North Korea.
The missile flew over the northern island of Hokkaido, where thousands were awoken by air-raid sirens for the second time in just three weeks, and landed some 1,240 miles off the cape of Erimo just before 7am local time (10pm Thursday GMT).
The rocket, believed to be a intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 2,300 miles, according to South Korea's military - far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, which is 2,100 miles from North Korea.
In a statement released by North Korea's state media, Pyongyang claimed that rather than condemnation and horror, the nuclear missile test had been met with 'admiration'.
'People from across the world have expressed admiration at the DPRK's bold pluck and great potentiality,' the statement began.
'Media of many countries are zealously reporting about the DPRK's nuclear attack capability, which has reached the high level able to ensure the accuracy and freely control the striking power according to targeted object and purpose, and about the failure of the U.S. policy toward the DPRK.
'The DPRK has won a shining victory in the standoff with the U.S.
'Now no one can disregard the immense national strength and potentiality of the DPRK and deny its strategic position as a responsible nuclear weapons state with a great clout.
'The U.S. has tightened sanctions and blockade by mobilizing its vassal forces to stifle the DPRK. But it could not check the advance of the army and people of the DPRK.
'The U.S., styling itself as a superpower while boasting of its strength before other big powers, is in mortal fear of the DPRK. It is always seized with phobia of nuclear disaster.
'No one in the world can block the advance of Juche Korea and its heroic people dashing ahead for bright future under the banner of the line of simultaneously developing the two fronts raised by the great Party.'
The missile test was carried out mere hours after North Korea threatened to nuke Japan and reduce the US 'to ashes and darkness' in response to the latest sanctions imposed by the UN, which puts a cap on textile exports and import of crude oil.
Japan's defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Friday he believed North Korea has the U.S. territory in mind with its recent nuclear missile tests. as he warned that 'similar actions (by the North) would continue'.
'We cannot assume North Korea's intention, but given what it has said, I think it has Guam in mind,' Onodera said.
The U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis branded North Korea 'reckless', however, he said he did not want to talk about a possible American military response to the new missile test.
This morning's launch was the second aggressive test-flight over Japanese territory in less than a month and it followed the sixth and most powerful nuclear test by North Korea to date on September 3.
Residents on Hokkaido were awoken by sirens and loudspeakers calling out: 'Missile launch! Missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea. Take cover in a building or underground,' causing widespread panic.
The UN Security Council will meet this evening to discuss the latest North Korea missile test at the request of the US and Japan.
Moscow has responded to Friday's missiles test, voicing 'deep concern' at the latest in what it called a series of unacceptable provocations.
'In Russia we are deeply concerned about these provocative launches which are further stoking tensions. Clearly demonstrating that our position is that such launches are unacceptable is the most tangible thing we can do right now,' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
'Judging by the United Nations' Security Council, that is a unanimous point of view which unites Security Council members.'
President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron later agreed in a phone call that resuming direct talks with North Korea was the only way to resolve tensions over its nuclear programme, the Kremlin said.
In a statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders "were united in the opinion that it was unacceptable to allow an escalation in tension."
The crisis needs to be resolved "exclusively through political and diplomatic means, by restarting direct negotiations," they reportedly said.
The United Nation's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has today said talks on the crisis would be held on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting next week.
Guterres called on the North Korean leadership 'to cease further testing, comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and allow space to explore the resumption of sincere dialogue on denuclearization,' read a statement by his spokesman.
The UN leader 'condemns the launch' and said he will be discussing the situation 'with all concerned parties in the margins of the upcoming high level week of the United Nations General Assembly.'
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an early morning statement saying North Korea was 'trampling' on international peaceful efforts, saying the UN sanctions needed to be firmly imposed.
He added that the international community must send a clear message to North Korea over its provocative actions.
He said: 'We can never tolerate that North Korea trampled on the international community's strong, united resolve toward peace that has been shown in UN resolutions and went ahead again with this outrageous act.'
'If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this,' he added.
A government spokesman said earlier that Japan would 'never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea,' adding that the country will make an appropriate response.
'We have strongly protested to the North, telling them the strong anger by the Japanese people and condemn with the strongest words possible.'
In an immediate response to Friday's launch, South Korea said its military fired a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile into the sea during a live-fire military drill on the east coast.
President Moon Jae-in called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council during which he said South Korea is able to destroy the North 'beyond recovery' if they attack.
'In case North Korea undertakes provocations against us or our ally, we have the power to destroy [them] beyond recovery,' Yonhap news agency quoted President Moon as saying.
'Dialogue is impossible in a situation like this. International sanctions and pressure will further tighten to force North Korea to choose no other option but to step forward on the path to genuine dialogue.'
The international response has been swift and condemning, with British foreign secretary Boris Johnson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg calling for global action against North Korea.
Stoltenberg called for a 'global response' to North Korea's latest missile launch, calling it 'a reckless breach of UN resolutions.'
'North Korea's missile launch is another reckless breach of UN resolutions - a major threat to international peace and security which demands a global response,' he said in a tweet.
Mr Johnson also took to Twitter, writing: 'Yet another illegal missile launch by North Korea. UK and international community will stand together in the face of these provocations,.'
In a subsequent statement, he added: 'The UK and the international community have condemned the aggressive and illegal actions of the North Korean regime, and the succession of missile and nuclear tests. We stand firmly by Japan and our other international partners.
'We are working to mobilise world opinion with the aim of achieving a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula.
'This week the most stringent UN sanctions regime placed on any nation in the 21st century was imposed on North Korea, after being unanimously agreed at the UN Security Council. These measures now need to be robustly enforced. We urge all states to play their part in changing the course North Korea is taking.'
The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is in London today for talks with Mr Johnson and Prime Minister Theresa May, said Kim Jong Un's nuclear ambitions were 'not acceptable to any member of the international community'.
Mrs May also released a statement via a spokesperson, saying 'the prime minister is outraged by North Korea's continued reckless provocation and she strongly condemns the regime's illegal tests.'
'Our key focus now is continuing to press China to keep up the pressure on North Korea to change course.'
China is the North's main trading partner, and - while condemning the launch - continued today to refuse to take blame for the development in Pyongyang.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing had made 'enormous sacrifices at a great price' by implementing UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea.
'The core lies in a conflict between the DPRK and the US. The focal point of the contradiction is not China,' Hua told a regular news briefing, using the acronym for the North's official name.
'China is not the driver behind the escalation of the tensions. China also does not hold the key to the Korean peninsula issue. The initiators of a trouble should end it,' she said.
'It's irresponsible and unhelpful for the settlement of the issue to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form.'
The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on August 29, which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific.
The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Friday morning.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed about the launch, his Chief of Staff John Kelly said early Friday morning.
The U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said 'these continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation'.
He said that 'all nations' should take new measures against the dictatorship.
'China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own,' he added.
He also said China supplies North Korea with most of its oil and 'Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour.'
South Korea's presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting.
Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said there is no evidence yet of any missile fragments landed on Japanese territory.
The UN Security Council imposed its eighth round of sanctions on the country over its banned missile and nuclear programmes.
In a statement released by the North Korean news agency KCNA Thursday, a spokesman for the regime said: 'The army and people of the DPRK are unanimously demanding that the Yankees, chief culprit in cooking up the 'sanctions resolution', be beaten to death as a stick is fit for a rabid dog.
'There's limit to patience. Now is the time to annihilate the U.S. imperialist aggressors. Let's reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness.
'Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now. These are voices of the Korean army and people.
'Also heard in the DPRK are strong accusations against the Japs who have zealously joined in the US racket for sanctions.
'The behaviour of Japs, sworn enemy of the Korean nation, are enraging us. The wicked Japs should not be pardoned...
'A telling blow should be dealt to them who have not yet come to senses after the launch of our ICBM over the Japanese archipelago.
'The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us.'
North Korea has threatened to reduce the US 'to ashes and darkness' and 'sink Japan' with a nuke after their latest test of what the regime claims was a hydrogen bomb at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site (pictured before the launch)
Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga called the statement 'outrageous', saying it 'escalates tension in the region and is absolutely unacceptable.'
Seoul's military carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own yesterday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the Yonhap news agency reported.
In July, Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range.
It followed that up with an announcement it was planning to send a salvo of rockets towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, home to significant military facilities.
US President Donald Trump threatened it with 'fire and fury', heightening fears of conflict.
The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures.
But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US.
KIM'S MISSILE OBSESSION: HOW NORTH KOREA DEVELOPED ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM
For the second time in less than a month, North Korea has fired a ballistic missile over Japan, days after the international community further tightened its sanctions over its banned weapons and nuclear programme.
Here's how the programme got to where it is:
Late 1970s: North Korea starts working on a version of the Soviet Scud-B (range 300 kilometres or 186 miles). Test-fired in 1984
1987-92: Begins developing variant of Scud-C (500 km), Rodong-1 (1,300 km), Taepodong-1 (2,500 km), Musudan-1 (3,000 km) and Taepodong-2 (6,700 km)
Aug 1998: Test-fires Taepodong-1 over Japan
Sept 1999: Declares moratorium on long-range missile tests as ties with US improve
March 3, 2005: Ends moratorium on long-range missile testing, blaming Bush administration's 'hostile' policy
Oct 9, 2006: First underground nuclear test
May 25, 2009: Second underground nuclear test, several times more powerful than the first
December 13, 2011: Leader Kim Jong-Il dies, is succeeded by his son Kim Jong-Un
December 12, 2012: The North launches multi-stage rocket and successfully places satellite in orbit
February 12, 2013: Third underground nuclear test
January 6, 2016: Fourth underground nuclear test, which Pyongyang claims was hydrogen bomb
March 9, 2016: Kim Jong-Un claims the North has successfully miniaturised a thermo-nuclear warhead
April 23, 2016: North test-fires a submarine-launched ballistic missile
July 8, 2016: US and South Korea announce plans to deploy an advanced missile defence system -- the US THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense)
August 3, 2016: North Korea fires a ballistic missile directly into Japanese-controlled waters for the first time
August 24, 2016: Successfully test-fires another submarine-launched ballistic missile
September 9, 2016: Fifth nuclear test
February 12, 2017: Tests ballistic missile, which flies about 500 kilometres (310 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan
March 6, 2017: North fires four ballistic missiles in what is says is an exercise to hit US bases in Japan
March 19, 2017: North Korea says it has tested a new rocket engine
April 5, 2017: North Korea fires a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan
May 2, 2017: THAAD anti-missile system goes operational in South Korea
May 14, 2017: North fires what it says is a 'newly-developed mid/long-range strategic ballistic rocket, Hwasong-12', which flies 700 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan
May 29, 2017: Test fires a short-range ballistic missile which lands in Japan's exclusive economic zone
June 8, 2017: North Korea launches what it claims is new type of 'cruise rocket'
June 22, 2017: North Korea tests a rocket engine which could be fitted to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ahead of South Korean President Moon Jae-In's first trip to Washington since taking office
July 4, 2017: North Korea says it successfully tests an ICBM which is capable of reaching Alaska. Kim Jong-Un says it is a gift for the 'American bastards'
July 28: Second successful ICBM test
August 6, 2017: UN Security Council unanimously adopts tougher sanctions on the North
August 9, 2017: US President Donald Trump threatens Pyongyang with 'fire and fury' over its missile program. Hours later, North Korea says it is considering strikes near US strategic military installations in Guam
August 29, 2017: North Korea fires a ballistic missile over Japan. Tokyo says it is an 'unprecedented, serious and grave threat'
September 3, 2017: North Korean state media claims the country has developed a hydrogen bomb which can be loaded into ICBM and North conducts its sixth and largest yet nuclear test. Monitoring groups estimate a yield of 250 kilotons, which is 16 times the size of the 15-kiloton US bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945
September 4: South Korea and the US say they will deploy more anti-missile defences
September 12, 2017: UN Security Council unanimously adopts new sanctions, slapping a ban on textile exports and restricting shipments of oil products to North Korea
September 15: North Korea fires a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific, responding to new UN sanctions with what appears to be its furthest-ever missile flight.
