Kim's North Korea confirmed that it had test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile as a warning to Washington and Seoul, saying the successful "surprise" drill demonstrated Pyongyang's "capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack".

Leader Kim Jong Un ordered the "sudden launching drill" at 8 am Saturday (2300 GMT) and a Hwasong-15 missile -- a weapon first tested by the North in 2017 -- was fired from Pyongyang airport that afternoon, the official KCNA reported.

South Korea's military said it detected an ICBM launch at 17:22 (0822 GMT) Saturday, which Japan said flew for 66 minutes before splashing down in its Exclusive Economic Zone, with their analysis indicating it was capable of hitting the mainland United States.

Kim's North Korea confirmed that it had test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile as a warning to Washington and Seoul, saying the successful "surprise" drill demonstrated Pyongyang's "capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack".

Leader Kim Jong Un ordered the "sudden launching drill" at 8 am Saturday (2300 GMT) and a Hwasong-15 missile -- a weapon first tested by the North in 2017 -- was fired from Pyongyang airport that afternoon, the official KCNA reported.

South Korea's military said it detected an ICBM launch at 17:22 (0822 GMT) Saturday, which Japan said flew for 66 minutes before splashing down in its Exclusive Economic Zone, with their analysis indicating it was capable of hitting the mainland United States.