It was reported that North Korea launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) after nearly a year and reached space on Wednesday, October 30.

According to the Associated Press, the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile just days before the November 5 US federal election was probably no coincidence. The U.S. and Japanese governments confirmed the launch, which lasted 86 minutes and flew a record distance of 4,350 miles (7,000 km), nearly 1,000 miles above the previous target, according to the Washington Post.

North Korea, which calls itself the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, has offered increasing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has been condemned internationally. This action caused concern in the United States and its allies. For example, U.S., Japanese and South Korean forces have conducted several military exercises in the Pacific Ocean in recent months, which the North Korean government views as hostile actions, The Post added.

Japan and South Korea (formally the Republic of Korea), as well as allies of the United States, are signatories of the American-led Artemis Accords, which aim to establish peaceful norms specifically for space exploration.

Recently, both the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (which includes the Americans as major partners and cooperates with Japan and South Korea) said North Korea’s decision to send nearly 10,000 troops to Russia was “a very, very serious problem.” According to the Post, this explosion may have a ripple effect in the Pacific region as well as Europe.

The type of ICBM used this time has not yet been confirmed in media reports. North Korea’s last launch in December 2023 was the Hwasong-18 missile, which was used at least three times during tests, Al Jazeera reported.