North Korea missile launch was new kind of ICBM, regime says, as first images emerge

Kim Jong-un hails development of new solid-fuel rocket that can be deployed more quickly

North Korea says it has tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with leader Kim Jong-un saying it marked a major step in Pyongyang’s capacity to conduct a nuclear counterstrike, state media reported.

South Korea’s military said it had detected one “medium range or longer” ballistic missile launched on Thursday morning on a lofted trajectory – up, not outwards – from the Pyongyang area and it flew 1,000km (620 miles).