N Korea missile fire non-threatening: Pentagon

Washington: The Pentagon on Wednesday said that the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) fired by North Korea did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies.

The statement from the Pentagon has come after North Korea fired a missile in the direction of the Sea of Japan, a first by the country since September 15.

The Pentagon told reporters that the ICBM travelled about 1000 km before the missile splashed into the Sea of Japan.

“We are in the process of assessing the situation and will provide additional details when available,” Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Robert Manning told media.

The missile firing comes a week after United States President Donald Trump said that North Korea falls under the list of countries that backs terrorism.

South Korea Military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told the local media about the missile firing early on Wednesday. The missile “flew eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang” toward the Sea of Japan, South Korean military officials said.

Japan’s Prime Minister’s Office said: “North Korea launched a missile that has the possibility of arriving in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our country.”

On September 15, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

“South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that North Korea is on the verge of achieving full nuclear capability with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could carry a nuclear warhead,” Fox news quoted the local media. (ANI)