North Korea's Kim Jong Un Celebrates Missile Launch On State Television Amid War Concerns

North Korea state television, KRT, released a video showing leader Kim Jong Un celebrating a missile launch. The somewhat odd footage, complete with an excited narrator and cheerful music, shows the country testing an intermediate-range missile, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The state-run television network, KRT, reported that after Kim reviewed the test launch, he said his country was now able to attack U.S. interests in the Pacific. The video shows Kim watching what appears to be a test with great interest. As the test is apparently deemed a success, the narrator takes the tone of a soccer announcer shouting about a goal. Kim is shown hugging officials in what appears to be a command room.

The test took place in June last year, and still photos were released at about that time, Reuters reported. Officials from the U.S. and South Korea found that the North launched two intermediate-range missiles, one of which was considered a failure, while the other reached a high altitude before falling into the sea some 250 miles from its launch site. The missiles would have the range to strike all of Japan or the U.S. territory of Guam.

North Korea has continued missile tests and ramped up its nuclear program, stoking tensions with the West and its southern neighbor. An analyst noted this week that the country appears to be preparing a site to test launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Amid reports that the country has a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium large enough for 10 nuclear warheads, Kim has regularly levied threats against the United States. More recently, he hinted in his New Year's address that North Korea was again set to test an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

"Research and development of the cutting-edge tech weapons are actively progressing and strengthening our defense capabilities, including last stage preparation of tests for Intercontinental Ballistic rocket launch have been continuously succeeding," Kim said.