North Korea Launches Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

A man walks by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting about North Korea’s missile firing at Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un vowed his nation would “demonstrate its mettle to the U.S.” and never put its weapons programs up for negotiations a day after test-launching its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The hard line suggests more tests are being prepared as the country tries to perfect a nuclear missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States. The letters read “North Korea, release an ICBM launching video.“
A man walks by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting about North Korea's missile firing at Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un vowed his nation would "demonstrate its mettle to the U.S." and never put its weapons programs up for negotiations a day after test-launching its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The hard line suggests more tests are being prepared as the country tries to perfect a nuclear missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States. The letters read "North Korea, release an ICBM launching video." Lee Jin-man / AP Photo
A man walks by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting about North Korea’s missile firing at Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un vowed his nation would “demonstrate its mettle to the U.S.” and never put its weapons programs up for negotiations a day after test-launching its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The hard line suggests more tests are being prepared as the country tries to perfect a nuclear missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States. The letters read “North Korea, release an ICBM launching video.“
A man walks by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting about North Korea's missile firing at Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un vowed his nation would "demonstrate its mettle to the U.S." and never put its weapons programs up for negotiations a day after test-launching its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The hard line suggests more tests are being prepared as the country tries to perfect a nuclear missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States. The letters read "North Korea, release an ICBM launching video." Lee Jin-man / AP Photo

North Korea Launches Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

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North Korea claimed a successful launch on Tuesday of its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). State television claims the rocket flew for 39 minutes at a distance of 580 miles.

Experts say the missile could possibly reach Alaska, but not the rest of the U.S. In response, South Korea and the U.S. held joint ballistic missile drills.

President Donald Trump blames China, in large part, for failing to control North Korea’s progress towards a nuclearized weapon that could reach the U.S.

The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to meet later today to discuss the matter.  We talk about the region’s growing instability with Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund,  a non-proliferation NGO.