North Korea says missiles can reach US bases

Kim Yong-Un claims the mid-range missiles give the secretive country the capability to attach American bases in the Pacific

North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-Un has claimed the country has the capability to strike US military bases across the Pacific following its latest test of a mid-range missile.

He was in attendance as Pyongyang launched two mid-range missiles, dubbed Musudan, off its eastern coast on Wednesday.

The first launch failed over the Sea of Japan, according to South Korean and US officials.

A second was test-fired hours later in the direction of Japan and reached a high altitude before it fell into the sea about 250 miles away, according to the North’s KCNA news agency.

“We have the sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre,” Kim was quoted as saying, as he applauded a “great event”.

The rockets have a range of about 1,860 miles – so South Korea, Japan and the US territory of Guam are potentially within reach.

North Korea is banned from using any type of ballistic missile technology, but has regularly fired short-range rockets from its eastern coast.

Washington and Seoul condemned the move, while Japan described it as a “grave provocative action”.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the tests were “brazen and irresponsible” as they triggered emergency UN Security Council talks on curbing Pyongyang’s nuclear programme.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter urged the expansion of missile defence systems in the region.

“We need to stay ahead of the threat,” he said.