Kim Jong-un thanks North Korean workers for making tyres to transport latest ballistic missile

Kim Jong-un has thanked workers at the factory where the tyres for a vehicle to transport a new ballistic missile were built.

According to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, the Amnokgang Tire Factory was tasked with producing the tyres for the nine-axle missile trucks used to transport the new intercontinental ballistic missile that was test-launched this week.

Kim Jong-un reportedly commissioned the factory to produce the tyres as part of preparations for what was dubbed the “great event in November”.

According to the KCNA, the North Korean leader thanked workers and called for further efforts to raise production to satisfy the “the daily-increasing needs in developing the country’s economy and beefing up national defence capabilities”.

The visit comes just days after a video emerged of Kim Jong-un smiling and laughing during the most recent missile test, which ended a 10-week pause in North Korea’s weapons testing programme and sparked worldwide condemnation.

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The Hwasong-15 ICMB is thought to be capable of reaching targets as far as Washington and the east coast of the US.

Following the test US President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions while Foreign Office Minister Mark Field said he had made Britain’s condemnation of the regime’s actions clear.