North Korea ready to test-fire ICBM ‘Any time, any place’

북한 "언제, 어디서든 ICBM 발사 가능" A high-ranking North Korean diplomat reiterated the regime's threat to test an intercontinental ballistic missile. This reflects remarks by its leader Kim Jong-un earlier this month. Kim Hyesung has more on the validation. North Korea is ready to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile at any time, and from any place. That's according to Choe Kang-il, the regime's deputy director general for North American affairs at its foreign ministry... in an interview Wednesday with NBC News. Choe said Pyongyang has developed advanced nuclear weapons technology, but rejected the idea that such a move is a provocation. Choe said the North will continue developing nuclear weapons as a defensive measure against what he called "blackmail" and "nuclear threats" from the U.S.... and Seoul and Washington's continued joint military exercises. This marks the first statement by a Pyongyang official since Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. President last Friday,... and it echoed leader Kim Jong-un's new year message that the country's preparations for an ICBM test have reached an advanced stage. The North has conducted a total of five nuclear tests, including two last year, but has never successfully launched an ICBM. Last week, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported that officials from South Korea and the U.S. have picked up indications that the North has placed two ICBMs on mobile launchers. And some experts say a test-firing could come earlier than expected. Cheong Seong-chang, an expert on North Korea at the South Korean think tank the Sejong Institute, said at a security forum Wednesday that, given Pyongyang's recent remarks and its nuclear capabilities, it might test-fire an ICBM on February 16th, the 75th birthday of its late leader Kim Jong-il. He added that such a move could trigger more sanctions from the U.S. and exacerbate tensions between Beijing... and Seoul and Washington on issues like the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system. Kim Hyesung, Arirang News. Visit ‘Arirang News’ Official Pages Facebook(NEWS):   / newsarirang   Homepage: http://www.arirang.com Facebook:   / arirangtv   Twitter:   / arirangworld   Instagram:   / arirangworld