Why did North Korea test a new missile?

North Korea on Thursday tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-17, capable of striking any part of the US mainland and most of the world.

But is this missile a new technology?

Hwasong-17 is 25 meters long, and is estimated to be The largest mobile intercontinental missile system in the world. It was first revealed in October 2020 at a North Korean military parade, and was first beta tested on Thursday.

The last ICBM test by North Korea took place in November 2017 Hwaseong -15, having demonstrated the ability to hit targets in the United States. Now, testing of the new Hwasong-17 has shown the possibility Travel greater distances.

Hwasong-17 was launched at an angle to avoid adjacent territorial waters, and reached a maximum height 6248 km and travel 1090 km During a 67-minute flight, before hitting Japan’s exclusive maritime economic zone.

Flight details indicate this The missile can travel 15,000 km When fired on a “normal trajectory”, and therefore can hit any part of the US territory.

Hwasong missile system It’s not a new technologyBut its version 17 will allow North Korea to avoid Alaska, where the United States has a large number of anti-aircraft systems, which its predecessor could not. With Hwasong-17, North Korea could theoretically reach the United States across the Atlantic.

But the longer distance may not be the main goal of North Korea

Quoting the Associated Press, South Korean analyst Shin Jong Woo argues that the development of an ICBM will have little to do with its range, but with North Korea’s ambition to arm the missile with nuclear bombs.

However, experts believe that North Korea’s aspirations to build a nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile may take time to be completed. It will take several years and significant technological advances to do so..

One of the challenges North Korea faces is that Missiles survive the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entryIt is not yet clear whether these conditions were met in the test launch.

Japan has already pledged to try to recover what was left of the missile to analyze Hwasong-17 technology.

Experts believe North Korea will test Hwasong-17 again, particularly with its launch over Japan, To analyze missile resistance on a trajectory that is closer to its actual use.

Is a nuclear test approaching?

There are indications that North Korea You might do a job at a nuclear test base which was dismantled in 2018.

The base, located in the northeast of the country, was used to conduct a nuclear test in 2017. After announcing its dismantlement, Kim Jong Un invited foreign journalists to monitor its destruction in May 2018.

However, Pyongyang has not invited independent experts to verify what was actually destroyed..

Some South Korean analysts say North Korea may resume nuclear testing very soon, In the coming monthsIn order to draw the attention of the Biden administration.

know more