N Korea's Kim says ICBM an independence day gift to Americans

The test of an ICBM on Tuesday was confirmed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who said it marked "a new escalation of the threat to the world".

Seoul, July 5: North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile test was a 'gift' to 'Americans' on their independence day, Pyongyang's official news agency cited leader Kim Jong-Un as saying.

After personally overseeing the launch, the Korean Central News Agency reported, "he said American bastards would be not very happy with this gift sent on the July 4 anniversary".

Breaking into peals of laughter, it said, he "added that we should send them gifts once in a while to help break their boredom"

North Korea has test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time, the United States confirmed Tuesday as it warned of an escalating threat from Pyongyang and insisted America would never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea.

Some experts said such a missile could reach Alaska or go even further toward the US mainland. But there was widespread skepticism of the North's claim of the missile being able to "strike any place in the world."

PTI