North Korea says its missiles to target the US mainland

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea's state media has reiterated the country's goal of developing a nuclear missile capable of reaching the continental United States on the same day rivals Washington and Seoul detected a failed missile launch from an area near Pyongyang.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper also said Saturday that the North revealed two types of new intercontinental ballistic missiles in an April 15 military parade honoring its late state founder, Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un.

The parade featured previously unseen large rocket canisters and launcher trucks.



It said: "The large territory that is the United States has been entirely exposed to our pre-emptive nuclear strike means."

RELATED: Seattle called ‘ultimate target’ for North Korean nuclear attack, but is it possible?

Referring to the United States sending the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to Korean waters, the newspaper said that "rendering aircraft carriers useless is not even a problem" for its military.

The newspaper says that the North displayed three types of ICBMs during the parade, including two new types that were inside the canisters.

Analysts say the North's existing liquid-fuel ICBMS, including the KN-08 and KN-14, are potentially capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, although the North has never flight tested them.