Asia

US Officials Detect Another North Korean Missile Launch

The Pentagon detected the missile around 10:45 a.m. ET Friday.

US Officials Detect Another North Korean Missile Launch
Korean Central Television
SMS

North Korea reportedly launched a ballistic missile Friday.

Multiple outlets report U.S. officials detected the launch around 10:45 a.m. Eastern.

South Korea's joint chiefs of staff and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe also confirmed the launch.

A Japanese government official says it believes the missile flew about 45 minutes before falling into the sea off Japan's coast.

US Citizens Won't Be Able To Visit North Korea Much Longer
US Citizens Won't Be Able To Visit North Korea Much Longer

US Citizens Won't Be Able To Visit North Korea Much Longer

The State Department has authorized barring U.S. citizens from traveling to North Korea citing safety concerns.

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That means Friday's missile flew about six minutes longer than the intercontinental ballistic missile North Korea launched July 4, which some analysts think had the range to hit Alaska.

This latest test comes after the North threatened a nuclear strike if the U.S. tries to remove leader Kim Jong-un from power.

North Korea is accelerating its ballistic missile program so much that U.S. intelligence thinks the country could launch a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile as early as 2018.