The Korean Central News Agency has released photos of what it claims is North Korea’s latest missile test.
The state-run agency disseminated the images on Saturday, depicting a missile launch as Kim Jong Un watched and then cheered in response, raising his fists with a grin.
While the photos have circulated the media, it is impossible to verify whether they are credible.
The missile, launched on Friday, directly threatened Japan, flying over the country as warnings went out for people to take shelter. In a government statement, North Korea said the test was made with the intent of “confirming action procedures of actual war” and “calming down the belligerence of the U.S.”
The launch comes on the heels of an apparent hydrogen bomb test on Sept. 3, severely escalating tensions in the international arena. Gen. John E. Hyten, the U.S. head of nuclear forces, announced on Thursday that although he could not confirm that the test was a hydrogen bomb, he believed it could be assumed from the explosion’s size, among other factors.
