North Korea has confirmed it has tested a new, powerful type of ICBM, ending a self-imposed moratorium on long-range testing that has been in place since 2017 and has been internationally condemned.
State media said on Friday that leader Kim Jong-un was directly directing the test of the Hwasong-17 – a “new breed” of ICBM that is North Korea’s largest yet. He said it was the key to deterring nuclear war.
The missile reportedly flew 1,090 km (681 miles) to a maximum altitude of 6,248.5 km (3,905 miles) and hit a target in the sea.
An image released by North Korean state media of the launch of the Hwasong-17. Photo: KCNA VIA KNS/AFP/Getty ImagesKim reportedly said North Korea was preparing for a protracted confrontation with US imperialism and that its strategic force was ready to stem and contain any US military attempt.
Flight data from the South Korean and Japanese military had shown the missile flew higher and longer than any previous North Korean test before crashing into the sea west of Japan.
It was the first fully operational launch of the nuclear-armed state’s largest missiles since 2017 and marks a significant step in Pyongyang’s development of weapons capable of deploying nuclear warheads anywhere in the United States.
North Korea’s return to weapons testing is a headache for US President Joe Biden as he responds to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a challenge for South Korea’s new conservative government.
Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, meeting at a Group of Seven summit in Brussels to demonstrate their unity against the Kremlin’s war, condemned the North Korean launch, stressed the need for diplomacy and agreed to work together to bring Pyongyang ” accountable”. said a White House official.
“This launch is a brazen violation of several UN Security Council resolutions and needlessly increases tensions and risks destabilizing the security environment in the region,” said Jen Psaki, White House press secretary.
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What do we know about the Hwasong-17 ICBM system?
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• North Korea unveiled the previously unseen ICBM at a military parade before dawn in October 2020. Analysts noted that it looked “significantly larger” than North Korea’s last new ICBM, the Hwasong-15, which was tested in November 2017.
• It was exhibited a second time at a defense exhibition in Pyongyang in October 2021. After examining photos from the exhibition, analysts came to the conclusion that the official designation of this large ICBM was most likely Hwasong-17, and not Hwasong-16.
• The Hwasong-17, shown on an 11-axle transporter, would be one of the largest road-mobile ICBMs in the world if operational.
• Its diameter is estimated to be 2.4 to 2.5 meters and its total mass when fully fueled is likely between 80,000 and 110,000 kg, according to 38 North, a US-based program that monitors North Korea.
• The size of the Hwasong-17 has led analysts to speculate that it will be designed to carry multiple warheads and decoys to better penetrate missile defense systems.
• Some observers say the satellite technology that North Korea is said to have tested in two launches in late February and early March could also be used for a multi-independently targetable re-entry vehicle system, potentially allowing a single missile to drop nuclear warheads at different targets. Reuters
Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images AsiaPac
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The US State Department later announced sanctions against entities and individuals in Russia and North Korea, accusing the individuals and entities involved of “passing sensitive items to North Korea’s missile program.”
“These actions are part of our ongoing efforts to impede the DPRK’s ability to advance its missile program and underscore the negative role Russia plays on the world stage as a propagator of programs of concern,” the department said.
South Korea’s outgoing President Moon Jae-in, who has made cooperation with North Korea a key goal of his administration, said the launch posed a serious threat to the Korean peninsula, the region and the international community and was a “clear violation”. of UN Security Council resolutions.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the launch as “outrageous,” while Japanese Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said: “At a time when the world is grappling with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea is moving ahead with its launches that unilaterally escalate provocations.” the international community, which is absolutely unforgivable.”
Rocket launch map
North Korea had put its ICBM and nuclear tests on hold since 2017 but defended the weapons as necessary for self-defense. Biden has been unable to restart stalled denuclearization efforts, and Pyongyang has called the US overture disingenuous while it maintains “hostile policies” such as sanctions and military drills.
North Korea’s booster rocket was a harrowing reminder that even as the Ukraine crisis draws the world’s attention, Kim will not be ignored.
The launch prompted South Korea to test a salvo of its own, smaller ballistic and air-to-surface missiles to demonstrate it has the “capability and readiness” to precisely hit missile launch sites, command and support facilities, and other targets North Korea should need be. said the South Korean military.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Korea’s foreign minister Chung Eui-yong called for a firm response and said additional action by the UN Security Council was essential, South Korea’s foreign ministry said.
The US, Britain, France, Ireland, Albania and Norway asked the UN Security Council to hold a public meeting on Friday to discuss the launch, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Pyongyang to “refrain from any further counterproductive measures”.
Analysts say the unprecedented frequency of missile tests this year is a clear signal that Kim is determined to cement North Korea’s status as a nuclear power so he can approach future nuclear talks with the US from a position of strength.
“Despite economic challenges and technical setbacks, the Kim regime is determined to improve its missile capabilities,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “It would be a mistake for international decision-makers to believe that the North Korean missile threat can be put on the back burner while the world deals with the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
The launch will present a significant political challenge to South Korea’s new President, Yoon Suk-yeol, when he takes office in early May.
North Korea has conducted 13 rounds of weapons launches this year, including one on March 16 in which a suspected missile exploded over Pyongyang shortly after launch.
The spate of testing fueled speculation that Kim was preparing to launch a larger weapon that would theoretically be capable of reaching the US mainland.