**North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Amid Heightened Global Tensions**

In a move generating significant global concern, North Korea launched what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday. The missile test, personally overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has been described by Germany as "illegal" and condemned by the European Union and the United Nations.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the launch and quoted Kim Jong Un, who regarded the test as a necessary show of military strength intended to demonstrate North Korea's resolve. "The test-fire is an appropriate military action that fully meets the purpose of informing the rivals... of our counteraction will," Kim stated.

This test comes shortly after South Korea’s intelligence suggested that North Korea had likely completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test. Intelligence also indicated that the North was close to testing a long-range missile capable of reaching the United States. This development has elicited widespread condemnation and is seen as a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

In response, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed strong disapproval. "The DPRK's continued launches of missiles using ballistic missile technology are clear violations of relevant Security Council resolutions," he said. Sources have indicated that a Security Council meeting to discuss the launch is likely to convene on Monday, at the request of France, Japan, Malta, Slovenia, South Korea, the UK, and the US.

Both South Korea and Japan detected and reported the launch early on Thursday. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff identified the missile as a long-range ballistic missile fired at a high angle toward North Korea’s eastern waters. Japanese Defense Minister General Nakatani detailed that the missile traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers and reached an altitude exceeding 7,000 kilometers, marking the longest flight duration recorded for a North Korean missile.

This missile launch occurs amidst escalating concerns regarding North Korea's military activities. Since 2022, Pyongyang has significantly accelerated its weapons testing program, and in September 2023, it embedded nuclear weapons into its constitution, emphasizing the modernization of its nuclear arsenal.

Adding to the complexities, accusations have emerged that North Korea is sending troops to support Russia near Ukraine. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin alleged that North Korean troops headed to the Russian region of Kursk were outfitted in Russian uniforms and equipped with Russian gear. These allegations point to a potential deployment of up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers assisting Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, escalating already high tensions on the Korean Peninsula.