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N Korea at crossroads

North Korea shows off ICBM with potential to hit entire U.S. mainland

Missile's range could exceed 15,000 km if launched at normal angle, experts say

North Korea put the new Hwasong-17 ICBM on display at a parade in April to mark its military's 90th anniversary. (Korea Media via Kyodo)

SEOUL/TOKYO -- The suspected intercontinental ballistic missile fired by North Korea on Friday could potentially reach anywhere in the U.S. if launched at a normal angle, military experts say, with Pyongyang likely showing off its progress in a warning to Washington.

The missile -- believed to be Pyongyang's new Hwasong-17 ICBM -- flew as high as 6,000 kilometers on a higher-than-usual "lofted" trajectory and reached a top speed of Mach 22 before landing in Japan's exclusive economic zone. This was a much better showing than a test earlier this month that apparently involved the same model, indicating steady progress by the country's missile program.

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