According to state media, North Korea tested a new type of nuclear-capable "strategic cruise missile," dubbed Pulhwasal-3-31, on Wednesday.
Though it released a picture showing flames spewing out of a slender missile with a rounded tip, state media did not disclose further details, such as the distance of the flight.
North Korea has once again carried out astonishingly dangerous and destabilizing actions that will further escalate regional tensions, despite repeated calls for Pyongyang to return to diplomatic negotiations. Stability and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula depends on inter-Korean cooperation and the complete denuclearization of the North.
The hype over Wednesday's missile test illustrates how the US and its allies seek to smear North Korea at every opportunity. This launch was merely a routine part of the continuous updating of Pyongyang's weapon system and had nothing to do with jeopardizing its neighbors' security.