PYONGYANG, North Korea, May 9 (UPI) -- North Korea on Saturday claimed publicly that it has test fired a ballistic missile from a submarine -- an admission, if true, that could present the West with a major challenge.
North Korea's official news agency reported the test, saying it had been ordered and inspected by leader Kim Jong-un, the New York Times reported.
"There took place an underwater test-fire of Korean-style powerful strategic submarine ballistic missile," the Korean Central News Agency said. "The test-fire proved and confirmed that the ballistic missile fired from the submarine fully met the requirements of the latest military science and technology."
U.S. intelligence has suspected for some time that North Korea was developing such a system, but this marks the first time the communist nation has publicly admitted to testing one.
North Korea had previously tested the KN-11 missile from land and at sea, but this may be be the first time it has actually fired the rocket from underwater, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The news agency's report, however, did not specify exactly where or when the test was conducted -- but Kim reportedly called the test an "eye opening success."
The test might have occurred near the eastern port town of Sinpo, where U.S. and South Korean analysts have suspected the North was developing submarine-launched missiles.
If the report is true, North Korea's successful launch raises new obstacles for the U.S. government and its South Korean allies, which have been developing systems of their own intended to defend against missiles fired from the North.
Submarine-launched missiles, experts say, are more difficult to detect and destroy. Officials are also concerned that the communist nation might be making progress in compacting a nuclear warhead so that it can be delivered by a ballistic missile -- although no evidence exists indicating they have yet achieved that difficult step.
The North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported the story Saturday, which was accompanied by a photo of Kim watching a missile coming up from the ocean, the Times reported.
Another news report quoted Kim as saying the new missile system would "make our enemies lose sleep because they are like time bombs that can go off any time on their back."
The news may discount the South Korean government's previous assertion that it would take years for the North to develop such a submarine-based system.
"The submarine can get the platform to launch the missile within range of the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii," former intelligence official Bruce Bechtol said earlier this week. "Thus, once operational, this immediately brings key nodes in the United States within range of what would likely be a nuclear armed missile."
Naval-Technology.com, a defense analysis website, said the North Koreans conducted the underwater test earlier this week, which is its third overall test of the submarine-launching system. Sea-platform and land-based tests were performed in January and October of 2014, respectively, the site said.
The website also reported that U.S. defense officials already know about it, too, and said information about the test is classified.
North Korea reportedly has the largest submarine fleet in the world, with 78, although most of them are believed to be equipped with outdated Soviet and Chinese technology.
Kim had been scheduled to make his first ever foreign visit, to Russia, on Saturday to attend Moscow's victory day celebrations of the World War II defeat of the Nazis. Last week, though, the Kremlin said Kim had canceled his trip owing to "internal matters" -- which may have been a reference to the missile test.
