The Defense Ministry has assessed North Korea's Hwasong-15, fired Wednesday, to be a new intercontinental ballistic missile-grade projectile.

The assessment was made in documents reported to the parliamentary defense committee on Friday.

The ministry said that the North launched a ballistic missile from the vicinity of Pyongsong in South Pyongan Province at around 3:17 a.m. Wednesday in an eastern direction.

It said that considering factors such as the projectile's speed at maximum altitude, rocket stage separation and shape, it is assessed to be a new ICBM-level weapon.

The ministry estimated that the missile was tested successfully and that it could have flown more than 13-thousand kilometers at a normal angle, noting that this means it is capable of reaching Washington D.C. 

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