The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system deployed in the Republic of Korea and became operational earlier this month, detected the launch of a North Korean ballistic missile, according to the Republic of Korea Defence Minister's statement made on Tuesday. The missile was reportedly an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) of enhanced caliber designed to travel up to 4 thousand km and launched on 14 May. 

Carried out from the northwestern city of Kusong, North Korea says Sunday's launch tested the capability of the missile to carry a large, heavy nuclear warhead.