North Korea said it conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test on Thursday morning, a launch believed to have achieved the longest flight time yet for a North Korean missile.
The test comes just days before the US presidential election on Tuesday (5), and follows warnings from South Korea’s intelligence agency that Pyongyang was planning to launch an ICBM testing its reentry technology around the time of the election.
The test also comes as North Korea appears to have stepped up its nuclear production efforts and strengthened ties with Russia, deepening widespread concern in the West about the isolated nation’s direction.
The missile was fired at “a high angle,” meaning it flew almost vertically upward rather than outward, and traveled a distance of 1,000 kilometers, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
Japanese officials reported that the missile flew for about 86 minutes and at a possible altitude of 7,000 kilometers before crashing into the sea west of Okushiri Island in northern Hokkaido at around 8:37 a.m. local time, outside the zone. economy unique to Japan, public broadcaster NHK said.
“The flight time was the longest ever. Possibly the newest missile ever,” said Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.
Seoul JCS spokesman Lee Sung-joon said it could have been a “new-type solid-propellant long-range ballistic missile” fired from a 12-axis mobile launcher (TEL) that Pyongyang unveiled last month .
Solid-fuel missiles, such as North Korea’s Hwasong-18, would allow Pyongyang to launch long-range nuclear strikes faster than with missiles that use liquid-fuel technology.
Solid-fuel ICBMs are more stable and can be moved more easily to avoid detection before a launch that can be initiated in a matter of minutes, experts say — compared with liquid-fuel missiles that may need hours before launch. , giving adversaries time to detect and neutralize the weapon.
North Korea said the launch “demonstrated the modernity and credibility of the world’s most powerful strategic deterrent,” according to the country’s state media.
State media also reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was at the launch site and referred to the test as “appropriate military action.”
If the missile is confirmed to be an ICBM, it would be the first launch of its kind from North Korea since its Hwasong-18 missile test in December 2023.
During the December test, Japanese authorities reported that the missile flew on a highly elevated trajectory for about 73 minutes and at an altitude of 6,000 kilometers.
The missile in Thursday’s test flew higher than North Korea’s previous ICBM test, according to the South Korean military’s initial analysis.
Although the missile has demonstrated the range to reach anywhere in the United States, it would need to be fired on a flatter trajectory to reach the country.
The White House condemned the test as “a flagrant violation of several UN Security Council resolutions.”
National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the launch “unnecessarily increases tensions” in the region and that the US would “take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and the Republic of Korea and allies Japanese.”
Nuclear weapons technology and ties to Russia
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, speaking at the launch site, said his country “will never change its line of strengthening its nuclear forces,” KCNA reported on Thursday.
In addition to an ICBM test, South Korea’s military intelligence agency also warned that North Korea could soon conduct its seventh nuclear test.
On Wednesday, the agency said Pyongyang had completed preparations at its test site in Punggye-ri, and that it could take place around the time of the US elections, according to two lawmakers briefed during a regular parliamentary meeting. .
Since conducting its first nuclear test more than a decade ago, North Korea has advanced its weapons capabilities, with ambitions to shrink a warhead so it can fit on a long-range missile.
The launch comes after U.S. and South Korean officials said thousands of North Korean troops are training in Russia, with the expectation that they are being prepared for a possible move to the front lines of Moscow’s war against Ukraine. .
About 10,000 North Korean soldiers are receiving military training in eastern Russia, the Pentagon estimated on Monday (28). US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that some troops had moved closer to Ukraine and received Russian uniforms and equipment.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun said North Korea will “very likely ask” Moscow for advanced technology related to nuclear weapons in exchange for sending troops to help Russia.
Pyongyang will likely request transfers of Russian technology related to tactical nuclear weapons, the advancement of North Korean intercontinental ballistic missiles, reconnaissance satellites and nuclear submarines, the minister said.
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This content was originally published in North Korea launches long-range ballistic missile in test on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
