PYONGYANG, October 3. /TASS/. North Korea confirmed on Thursday that during its Wednesday's launch it successfully test-fired a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the KCNA news agency said.
"The Academy of Defence Science of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea succeeded in test-firing the new-type SLBM Pukguksong-3 in the waters off Wonsan Bay of the East Sea [Sea of Japan] of Korea on Wednesday morning," the agency said in a report.
During the test launch, conducted in vertical mode, the key tactical and technical indexes of the newly-designed ballistic missile were confirmed scientifically and technically.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was informed about the launch.
"The successful new-type SLBM test-firing comes to be of great significance as it ushered in a new phase in containing the outside forces' threat to the DPRK and further bolstering its military muscle for self-defence," the agency said.
On Wednesday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea reportedly test-launched a SLBM. US Forces Korea were informed about the launch. According to the Japanese government, the missile split into several parts after the launch, and one of them reached Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The official spokesman for the UN Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric, said the launch was "very concerning."
"Of course, the launch is very concerning. The launch of a ballistic missile is yet another violation of Security Council resolutions," he said.
In that regard, Dujarric expressed hope for fruitful working-level talks between North Korea and the United States.
"The Secretary-General hopes that both parties work to sustain these talks and to make progress on the implementation of the 12 June 2018 US-DPRK joint declaration towards denuclearisation and sustainable peace on the Peninsula," the UN official said.