Seoul: N. Korea Launches New Solid-Fuel ICBM.

Seoul: North Korea fired what appeared to be a new type of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that the missile was detected being launched on a lofted trajectory from the Pyongyang area of North Korea and traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers before landing in the East Sea. According to Qatar News Agency, JCS spokesperson Lee Sung-jun stated in a press briefing that there is an early assessment suggesting North Korea may have test-fired a new type of solid-fuel long-range ballistic missile. The JCS condemned the launch, labeling it as a major provocation that threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and within the international community. The JCS also emphasized its commitment to maintaining a full readiness posture, supported by a robust South Korea-US combined defense arrangement, to counter any provocations from the North. The incident marks the first such laun ch since North Korea fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM on December 18, ten months prior. Solid-fuel missiles are noted for being more challenging to detect prior to launch compared to liquid-fuel missiles, as they require fewer preparatory procedures, such as the injection of fuel.