North Korea's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday shows that anywhere in the U.S. mainland is within its range.

The missile was reportedly fired at 7:11 a.m. local time in Pyongyang's first such test in almost a year. It flew northeastward to the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea in South Korea, where it landed in the water at 8:37 a.m.

The ICBM reached an altitude of 4,350 miles (7,000 kilometers), flew a distance of 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) and was in the air for 87 minutes, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters. But it was fired at a steep angle in an effort to control its path and avoid neighboring countries.

If launched normally, and dependent on its payload, this translates into a potential range of up to 9,320 miles (15,000 kilometers), Kwon Yong Soo, an honorary professor at South Korea's National Defense University said, which puts anywhere in America in its range.

From Pyongyang, it is 6,800 miles (10,940 kilometers) to Washington, D.C. and New York, 5,600 miles (9,000 kilometers) to San Francisco and 5,100 miles (8,200 kilometers) to Seattle.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709762&forum_id=2...id.#48842071)