SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea on Thursday tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in nearly a year, potentially improving its ability to launch long-range nuclear strikes against the U.S. mainland.
The launch was likely intended to attract U.S. attention just days before the U.S. election and in response to criticism that North Korea reportedly sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Some experts speculate that Russia may have provided technical assistance to North Korea over the launch.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the launch and called it an "appropriate military action” to demonstrate North Korea’s determination to counter enemy moves that threatened North Korea’s security, North Korean state media said. Ta.
Kim said the enemy’s “various adventurous military actions” highlight the importance of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. He reaffirmed that North Korea will never abandon its policy of strengthening its nuclear forces.
North Korea has been adamant that improving its nuclear capabilities is the only option to deal with expanded U.S.-South Korean military training, but the United States and South Korea have repeatedly said they have no intention of attacking North Korea. Experts say North Korea is using the exercises with its rivals as an excuse to expand its nuclear arsenal in order to extract concessions when diplomacy resumes.
North Korea’s statement came hours after neighboring countries announced they had detected North Korea’s first intercontinental ballistic missile test since December 2023 and condemned it as a provocation that undermines international peace.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea may have tested a new solid-fuel long-range ballistic missile at a steep angle to avoid neighboring countries. Missiles with solid propellants are easier to move and hide, and can be launched faster than those with liquid propellants.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters that the missile’s flight time was 86 minutes and its maximum altitude was more than 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles), exceeding corresponding data from previous North Korean missile tests.
The ability of missiles to fly higher and longer than before means that their engines have more thrust. The latest test will examine whether the missile can carry a larger warhead, given that North Korea’s previous intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests have already shown that it can theoretically reach the U.S. mainland. Experts say the incident is likely related to the initiative.
Chung Chan-wook, director of the Korea Defense Research Forum, a think tank in Seoul, said it was fair to say that the missile involved in Thursday’s launch may be carrying North Korea’s largest and most destructive warhead. said. He said the launch was also likely intended to test other technological aspects that North Korea needs to master to further advance its intercontinental ballistic missile program.
Although North Korea has made advances in missile technology in recent years, many foreign experts believe the country has not yet acquired a functioning nuclear-armed missile capable of attacking the U.S. mainland. They claim that North Korea likely possesses short-range missiles capable of nuclear strikes across South Korea.
There are concerns that North Korea may seek Russian help in perfecting its nuclear-capable missiles in return for allegedly sending thousands of troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. there were. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that North Korean troops wearing Russian military uniforms and carrying Russian equipment were moving toward Ukraine, calling it a dangerous and destabilizing development.
Lee Chung-geun, an honorary fellow at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute, said initial results from Thursday’s launch indicate Russia may have provided a key propellant component that could boost the missile’s engine thrust. He said that it suggests. He said higher thrust allows the missile to carry a larger payload, fly more stably and hit targets more precisely.
Chung speculated that Russian experts may have been providing technical advice regarding missile launches since Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea in June to meet with Chairman Kim. He said he was there.
Kwon Yong-soo, a professor emeritus at the South Korean National Defense University, said it is highly likely that North Korea tested a multi-warhead system of an existing intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Kwon said, “North Korea already has several systems with a range of 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers (6,200 to 9,300 miles) that can reach anywhere on the planet, There’s no reason to develop it.”
North Korea’s confirmation of an intercontinental ballistic missile test was unusually quick, as North Korea typically reports the day after conducting a weapons test.
“North Korea probably thought that by giving so many military resources to Russia, it might be looked down upon by its rivals,” said Yang Wook, an expert at South Korea’s Asan Policy Research Institute. said. “This launch may have been intended as a demonstration of its capabilities, unrelated to the deployment of troops or other actions.”
US National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savet said the launches were a “gross violation” of several UN Security Council resolutions, calling them “unnecessarily escalating regional tensions and unnecessarily jeopardizing the regional security situation.” “There is a risk of destabilizing it,” he said. Savet said the United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the American mainland and allies South Korea and Japan.
South Korean military spokesman Lee Sung-joon said the North Korean missile may have been fired from a 12-axis rocket, North Korea’s largest mobile launcher. The unveiling of a new rocket in September fueled speculation that North Korea was developing a larger intercontinental ballistic missile than its existing ones.
South Korea’s military intelligence agency told lawmakers on Wednesday that North Korea is also likely to have completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test. The newspaper said North Korea was close to testing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Over the past two years, Kim has stepped up weapons tests and threats in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while also expanding military cooperation with Russia. South Korea, the United States and others say North Korea is already shipping artillery, missiles and other counterflow weapons to replenish Russia’s dwindling arms stockpile.
The possibility of North Korea joining the war in Ukraine would indicate a serious escalation. In addition to Russia’s nuclear and missile technology, experts say Kim Jong-un is likely looking to Russia to help build reliable space surveillance systems and modernize his country’s conventional weapons. are. They say Kim is likely to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from Russia in soldiers’ wages if he stays in Russia for a year.
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