North Korea's Kim says missile test over Japan was to 'contain' Guam

North Korea said on Wednesday it had conducted a test of an intermediate-rangeballistic missile (IRBM) to counter U.S. and South Koreanmilitary drills and as a first step in military action in the Pacific to "contain" the U.S. territory of Guam.

The North's leader, KimJong-un, ordered the missile drill tobe conducted for the first time from its capital, Pyongyang, andsaid it was necessary to undertake more exercises with thePacific as the target, the North'sKCNAnews agency said.

"The current ballistic rocket launching drill like a realwar is the first step of the military operation of the KPA inthe Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam,"KCNAquoted Kim as saying. The Korean People's Army or KPA is the North's military.

Earlier this month, North Korea threatened to fire fourmissiles into the sea near Guam, home to a major military presence, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the North wouldface "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

'All options are on the table'

Tuesday's test was of the sameHwasong-12missile Kim hadthreatened to use on Guam, but the test flight took it anotherdirection, over northern Japan's Hokkaido and into the NorthPacific Ocean.

Trump, who has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclearmissiles that can hit the mainland United States, said the worldhad received North Korea's latest message "loud and clear."

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"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase theNorth Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all
nations of the world. All options are on the table," Trump saidin a statement on Tuesday.

The launch came as U.S. and South Korean forces conductedannual military exercises on the Korean peninsula, angeringPyongyang, which sees the war games as a preparation forinvasion.

In a statement the 15-member Security Council said it was of "vital importance" that North Korea take immediate, concrete actions to reduce tensions and called on all states to implement UN sanctions on Pyongyang.

However, the U.S.-drafted statement, which was agreed by consensus, does not threaten new sanctions on North Korea.

Diplomats say veto-wielding council members China and Russia typically only view a test of a long-range missile or a nuclear weapon as a trigger for further possible sanctions.

China and Russia's ambassadors to the United Nations said they opposed any unilateral sanctions on North Korea and reiterated calls to halt deployment of a U.S. missile defence system in South Korea.

"I certainly hope that we'll be able to have a strong resolution following up this ... statement," Japan's Ambassador to the United Nations Koro Bessho told reporters after the meeting.

Rare and provocative move

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile testsunder Kim in defiance of UNsanctions, but firing a projectile
over mainland Japan was a rare and provocative move.

Reports of the launch by North Korean media were lacking theusual boasts of technical advances, indicating the test may nothave accomplished its intended technical goals.

The 2,700 kilometresthe missile flew before splashingdown was much shorter and at a lower trajectory than that of an
earlier and lofted launch of the same missile. The May launchwould have had a range of about 4,800 km on a standard
trajectory, an expert on missile technology, David Wright said.

"It is not clear what new North Korea would have learnedfrom this launch that is relevant to a long-range missile,"
Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists said.

Possible mechanical problem

The shorter range points to an intended early cutting of theengine thrust or a possible mechanical problem, as the
trajectory taken would not have been useful in simulatingre-entry or heating of the missile, Wright wrote in ablogpost.

Japan reacted sharply to the missile overflight, warningsresidents to take cover as the missile approached and raising
protests at the United Nations.

The United States has said before that all options,including military, are on the table, although its preference is
for a diplomatic solution.

U.S. Ambassador to the United NationsNikkiHaley said thelaunch was "absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible" and thatthe Security Council now needed to take serious action.

The Security Council earlier this month unanimously imposednew sanctions on North Korea after it staged two long-rangemissile launches in July.

South Korea and the United States had discussed deployingadditional "strategic assets" on the Korean peninsula, SouthKorea's presidential Blue House said in a statement, withoutgiving more details.

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