国际英语新闻:DPRK condemns U.S. test-launch of ICBM as simulated strike on Pyongyang

PYONGYANG, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Friday condemned the test-launch of a Minuteman-III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Wednesday by the United States, which it said was a simulated strike on Pyongyang.

"The test-fire, timed to coincide with the earlier-than-scheduled deployment of THAAD equipment and the arrival of the Carl Vinson nuclear aircraft carrier at the East Sea of Korea, makes the world see once again who is to blame for the deteriorating situation on the Korean peninsula," said the official Korean Central News Agency in a commentary.

"It is just the U.S. which has pushed the situation on the peninsula to the brink of nuclear war by staging the largest-ever aggressive joint military drills against the DPRK for the past two months after bringing all sorts of nuclear strategic assets to South Korea," it said.

The United States reportedly conducted its Minuteman-III ICBM test in California's Air Force Base at dawn Wednesday.

The said test launch from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base involved an unarmed Minuteman-III ICBM and the purpose was to verify the status of the U.S. nuclear force and demonstrate what it was capable of doing, according to earlier reports.