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By Kim Hyo-jin
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test was a gift to the U.S. on America's Independence Day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Wednesday.
Pyongyang's official news agency reported Kim expressed satisfaction Tuesday after personally overseeing the launch of the ICBM.
"American bastards would not be very happy with this gift package sent from us on their Independence Day," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
It added, Kim said while laughing, "We should send them small and big gift packages more often so we can help break their boredom."
The report reiterated that Pyongyang successfully test-fired an ICBM ― the Hwasong-14 ― saying it can carry large-scale and heavy nuclear warheads and is capable of striking the U.S. mainland.
The KCNA said Kim stressed, "We will never bring our nuclear and ballistic rockets to the negotiating table unless the U.S. scraps hostile policies toward North Korea and its nuclear threat."
The remark was the first for the young leader to directly refuse negotiations on his country's nuclear and missile programs.
It implied that Kim will continue nuclear and missile provocations, while refusing to engage in dialogue that asks for the scrapping or freezing of the programs.
The KCNA reported that Kim, intent on test-firing an ICBM capable of reaching the continental U.S. within this year, had spearheaded its development program.
Kim predicted the launch of an ICBM during his annual New Year's speech this year, saying, "The preparations for the test-fire of the intercontinental ballistic rocket have reached the final stages."
The agency said Kim had visited the site for missile development many times ahead of the launch and encouraged technicians and scientists.
Expressing satisfaction with the self-developed rocket, Kim once said it was as "handsome as a good-looking boy," the KCNA reported.
While encouraging developers, it quoted Kim as saying "Our long confrontation with the U.S. has entered the final stage. It's time to show the U.S., which has tested our determination and ignored our warnings."
The North has test-fired missiles around the anniversary of the July 4 U.S. Independence Day several times. On July 5, 2006, it launched a Taepodong-2 and two Rodong missiles, and also two Rodong missiles on July 4, 2009.
