DPRK top leader oversees ballistic missile test-fire

SEOUL — The Democratic People's Republic of Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday morning, with the country's top leader overseeing the event and stressing the DPRK will not change its policy of developing nuclear forces, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, said at the scene that the test-fire was an appropriate military action "to inform the rivals ...of our counteraction will", KCNA reported.

"The rivals' dangerous tightening of their nuclear alliance" and military maneuvers highlight the need to strengthen nuclear forces, Kim said.

"We should never allow any threat to approach the security sphere under our state's influence.

"The DPRK will never change its line of bolstering up its nuclear forces."

A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense confirmed the test. KCNA described the test as a demonstration of the DPRK's strategic missile capability, adding it "updated recent records" and underscored the reliability of what it called "the world's most powerful strategic deterrent".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday that China has taken note of the relevant reports.

As a close neighbor, China is following the developments on the Korean Peninsula, Lin said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

"China always believes that safeguarding peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and advancing the political settlement of the Peninsula issue serves the common interests of all parties," he said.

"We hope that all parties will make efforts to this end."

Xinhua