North Korea has confirmed it launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards waters off its eastern coast in what was the longest flight time yet for a North Korean missile, authorities in South Korea and Japan said, raising fears of advanced weapons development by Pyongyang.

Years of high-profile intercontinental ballistic missile tests by North Korea have fallen short of demonstrating that Pyongyang can successfully launch and deliver a nuclear warhead against the US mainland,