N Korea fires ICBM as US, Seoul slam Russia deployment

SEOUL: North Korea on Thursday launched one of its most powerful missiles, South Korea's military said, Kim Jong Un's first weapons test since being accused of sending soldiers to Russia.

Seoul had warned a day earlier that the nuclear-armed North was preparing to test-fire another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or even conduct a nuclear test ahead of next week's US elections.

The launch came just hours after US and South Korean defence chiefs called on Pyongyang to withdraw its troops from Russia, warning that North Korean soldiers in Russian uniforms were being deployed for possible action against Ukraine.

Seoul's military said early Thursday it had "detected one long-range ballistic missile" fired from near Pyongyang, adding it travelled around 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) after being fired on a lofted trajectory.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had tracked preparations for the launch in real-time with allies Tokyo and Washington, and that it would respond with "joint exercises involving US strategic assets," which always infuriate the North.

Tokyo also confirmed the launch, with Japan's defence minister saying it was an "ICBM-class" missile that flew for longer than any other previously tested by the North.

The missile was airborne for about 86 minutes and achieved an altitude of 7,000 kilometres, according to Tokyo.

"This ballistic missile had the longest flying time, and we estimate that its flying altitude was the highest we have seen," Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani told reporters.

North Korea typically test-fires its longest-range and most powerful missiles on a so-called lofted trajectory — fired up, not out — which it says is to avoid overflying neighbouring countries.