North Korea Confirms ICBM Test, Demonstrates ‘Lethal Nuclear Counterstrike’ Capability

Written by Choi Soo Hyang

North Korea announced on Sunday that it had tested its Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a “sudden launch exercise” to ensure it was ready for a “maneuverable and powerful counterattack” against hostile forces.

North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile off the west coast of Japan on Saturday afternoon after warning of a strong response to upcoming military exercises by South Korea and the United States.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, “The surprise ICBM launch exercise demonstrates that North Korea’s strategic nuclear force is consistently striving to turn its deadly nuclear counterstrike capability against adversaries into something irresistible. It’s real evidence.”

DPRK stands for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.

In a separate statement on Sunday, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused the United States of trying to turn the UN Security Council into a “monstrous hostile policy tool” against North Korea. severely criticized.

“I warn you to monitor your enemy’s every move and take a very strong and overwhelming counterattack that responds to your every move,” she said.

Saturday’s missile test was North Korea’s first missile launch since Jan. 1, as South Korea and the United States gear up for annual military exercises as part of an effort to fend off North Korea’s growth. , after North Korea threatened an “unprecedentedly sustained and forceful” response on Friday. Nuclear and missile threats.

The missile flew 989 kilometers in 4,015 seconds and reached a maximum altitude of 5,768 kilometers, according to state news agency, and accurately hit a pre-set sea area. Mars 15 was first tested in his 2017.

KCNA said the launch was carried out under the guidance of the General Directorate of Missiles, following an “immediate fire combat standby order” issued at dawn, followed by a written order from Chairman Kim Jong-un.

The Missile Bureau flag was first spotted in state media recently, suggesting that North Korea may have created a military unit tasked with operating the new ICBM.

“The important thing here is that the exercises were ordered on the same day, without any warning to those involved,” said Ankit Panda, a missile expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“The time from order to launch is likely to be reduced with additional testing.”

The military unit performed “excellently” in the tests, and North Korea’s ruling party “appreciated the actual combat capabilities of the ICBM force, which is maneuverable and ready for a powerful counterattack,” KCNA added.

Analysts say North Korea is likely to conduct more weapons tests, including new solid-fuel missiles that could help North Korea deploy missiles more quickly in the event of war. That’s what I mean.

North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs are banned under UN Security Council resolutions, but North Korea says its weapons development is necessary to counter “hostile policies” by Washington and its allies. Stated.

– Reuters