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| North Korea: 'Japan missile was first step in Pacific operation' | North Korea: 'Japan missile was first step in Pacific operation' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| North Korea says its firing of a missile over Japan was "the first step" of military operations in the Pacific, signalling plans for more launches. | North Korea says its firing of a missile over Japan was "the first step" of military operations in the Pacific, signalling plans for more launches. |
| State media also repeated threats to the US Pacific island of Guam, which it called "an advanced base of invasion". | State media also repeated threats to the US Pacific island of Guam, which it called "an advanced base of invasion". |
| The missile launched on Tuesday crossed Japan's northern Hokkaido island, triggering public alerts to take cover, before landing in the sea. | The missile launched on Tuesday crossed Japan's northern Hokkaido island, triggering public alerts to take cover, before landing in the sea. |
| The UN Security Council has unanimously condemned North Korea for its actions. | The UN Security Council has unanimously condemned North Korea for its actions. |
| Meeting late on Tuesday in New York, the council called the launch "outrageous", demanding North Korea cease all missile testing. | Meeting late on Tuesday in New York, the council called the launch "outrageous", demanding North Korea cease all missile testing. |
| But the statement did not threaten new sanctions against Pyongyang. | But the statement did not threaten new sanctions against Pyongyang. |
| North Korea has repeatedly conducted missile launches in recent months, despite being barred from doing so under UN rules. | North Korea has repeatedly conducted missile launches in recent months, despite being barred from doing so under UN rules. |
| The latest, a domestically made Hwasong-12, was launched early on Tuesday Korean time from a site near Pyongyang. | |
| It travelled some 2,700km (1,678 miles), at an unusually low height for North Korean missile tests, over Hokkaido before crashing about 1,180km off Japan's eastern coast. | It travelled some 2,700km (1,678 miles), at an unusually low height for North Korean missile tests, over Hokkaido before crashing about 1,180km off Japan's eastern coast. |
| Japan sent out alerts telling people in Hokkaido to take cover. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later called it "unprecedented, serious and a grave threat". | Japan sent out alerts telling people in Hokkaido to take cover. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later called it "unprecedented, serious and a grave threat". |
| For the first time, North Korea's official news agency KCNA admitted deliberately firing a ballistic missile across Japan. Previous projectiles which crossed the mainland were later claimed to have been satellite launches. | For the first time, North Korea's official news agency KCNA admitted deliberately firing a ballistic missile across Japan. Previous projectiles which crossed the mainland were later claimed to have been satellite launches. |
| It said the launch was in direct response to joint US-South Korean military drills which are currently taking place, as well as to mark the anniversary of the Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, which saw Japanese forces annex the Korean peninsula. | It said the launch was in direct response to joint US-South Korean military drills which are currently taking place, as well as to mark the anniversary of the Japan-Korea treaty of 1910, which saw Japanese forces annex the Korean peninsula. |
| KCNA, quoting leader Kim Jong-un, said that, "like a real war", the latest drill was "the first step of the military operation of the KPA [Korean People's Army] in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam". | KCNA, quoting leader Kim Jong-un, said that, "like a real war", the latest drill was "the first step of the military operation of the KPA [Korean People's Army] in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam". |
| Mr Kim has also ordered more rocket drills targeting the region, it said. | Mr Kim has also ordered more rocket drills targeting the region, it said. |
| North Korea first threatened to fire missiles towards Guam - a major US military centre in the Pacific and where some 160,000 US citizens live - earlier this month. | |
| US officials had suggested that the fact it had not carried out its threat so far was a sign of possible progress. | US officials had suggested that the fact it had not carried out its threat so far was a sign of possible progress. |
| US President Donald Trump, in a statement released by the White House, said the world had "received North Korea's latest message loud and clear". | US President Donald Trump, in a statement released by the White House, said the world had "received North Korea's latest message loud and clear". |
| "This regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour," he said. | "This regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour," he said. |
| "Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table." | "Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table." |
| Earlier this month, President Trump warned Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the US. | Earlier this month, President Trump warned Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the US. |
| North Korea's missile programme: | North Korea's missile programme: |
| Have North Korea's missile tests paid off? | Have North Korea's missile tests paid off? |