N. Korea says it tested new solid-fuel long-range missile

By KIM TONG-HYUNG and HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says it successfully test-launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile powered by solid propellants. If confirmed, that development could provide the country with a harder-to-detect weapon targeting the continental United States. The report Friday came a day after North Korea’s neighbors detected a launch of a long-range missile from near Pyongyang. The launch extended a run of weapons displays involving more than 100 missiles fired into sea since the start of 2022. In his official media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described the Hwasong-18 missile as his most powerful weapon, which he said would enhance his country’s counterattack abilities in the face of external threats from the U.S. and its allies.