The Defense Ministry says North Korea appears to be close to the final stage of securing intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) capability.
 
The ministry made the assessment on Monday in a report to the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee. The ministry analyzed the North’s announcement on Saturday regarding its latest missile launch.
 
The ministry said that the North will continue to engage in nuclear tests and missile launches in a bid to secure nuclear capability. It added that the Punggye-ri nuclear test site maintains readiness at all times to conduct a test.
 
On the North's missile launch Friday, the ministry that South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities have tentatively concluded that the missile was an intermediate-range ballistic missile(IRBM) given its height, flight distance, speed and flying time. The ministry assessed that by firing the missile at a normal angle, the North apparently sought to display its ability to hit U.S. bases in Guam.
 
The ministry said the missile launch is aimed at protesting the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2375 and at demonstrating its will not to succumb to the international community’s sanctions and continuously develop nuclear weapons and missiles.