Kim calls for more missile launches in Pacific

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea's state media says leader Kim Jong Un has called for more ballistic missile launches into the Pacific a day after it flew a missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan.

The Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kim expressed great satisfaction with the launch, calling it a "meaningful prelude" to containing Guam, the U.S. Pacific territory and military hub.

The agency says Kim said the country needs to conduct more ballistic missile tests to the Pacific to advance the capabilities of its strategic force.

The agency says the missile the North fired Tuesday was the Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile it recently threatened to fire toward Guam. They say Kim expressed great satisfaction over what the North described as a successful testing and that the North will continue to watch "U.S. demeanors" before it decides on its future actions.