(ANSA) - SEOUL, APRIL 14 - North Korea has confirmed that it has launched a "new type" of solid fuel ballistic missile.
This missile marks an important strategic technological advance in Pyongyang's military program, being more stable and quicker to prepare than liquid fuel missiles.
All the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) launched so far by North Korea have been liquid-fuelled.
Solid-fuel missiles, which Pyongyang has been trying to develop for some time, are more stable and quicker to prepare, which makes it more difficult for the enemy to detect and destroy them.
This "new type of ICBM is a rapid advance in nuclear counterattack," declared Kim Jong Un, according to Yonhap.
The South Korean military said yesterday that North Korea had "launched a new type of ballistic missile, perhaps solid fuel".
During a military parade last February in Pyongyang, North Korea exhibited a record number of missiles, including what analysts consider a new solid-propellant ICBM.
Pyongyang's announcement comes on the eve of one of the most important anniversaries for the country, the "Day of the Sun", April 15, the date of birth of the founder of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, usually celebrated with important military tests or parades.
(HANDLE).