U.S. adds further North Korea sanctions

The North Korean government confirmed Friday that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un ordered a test for the country’s largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) yet. Kim vowed to expand his “nuclear war deterrent” and prepare for a “long-standing confrontation” with the United States. The missile was launched at a high angle to avoid territorial waters, but experts said the capabilities put all of the United States in range. State-run news outlets reported the test proved the ICBM could be deployed quickly in wartime conditions.

What was the U.S. response? Experts predict the uptick in launches and intensity indicate that North Korea wants the U.S. to recognize it as a nuclear power and remove crippling sanctions. On Friday, State Department spokesman Ned Price announced new sanctions, effective for two years, on five entities and individuals in Russia and North Korea and one in China for transferring “sensitive items” to the North’s missile program. The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting to address the latest launch on Friday afternoon.

Dig deeper: Listen to Joshua Schumacher’s report on Kim Jong Un’s motivation behind the missile tests on The World and Everything in It podcast.