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North Korea boasts ‘world’s most powerful’ missile, but experts say it is too big to use in war

North Korea boasts ‘world’s most powerful’ missile, but experts say it is too big to use in war

North Korea bragged on Friday that the new intercontinental ballistic missile he had just launched was the “most powerful in the world,” which was deemed pure propaganda after experts assessed it as too large to be suitable for use in a war situation.

The intercontinental ballistic missile launched on Thursday flew higher and longer than any other weapon tested by North Korea.

But foreign experts say that the test did not show North Korea has overcome some of the final technological hurdles to have operational intercontinental ballistic missiles that can strike the continental United States.

The North Korean government test-fired its new intercontinental ballistic missile “Hwasong-19” at an undisclosed location in North Korea, October 31, 2024. AP

North Korea’s Central News Agency identified the missile as Hwasong-19 and called it “the most powerful strategic missile in the world” and an “excellent weapons system.”

Official media reported that leader Kim Jong Un watched the launch, describing it as an expression of North Korea’s determination to respond to external threats to North Korea’s security.

Color and shape exhaust flames seen in North Korean media photos of the launch suggest the rocket uses preloaded solid fuel, which makes the weapon more agile and harder to detect than liquid propellants, which typically must be pre-fueled.

But experts say the photos show the ICBM and its launch vehicle are too large, raising serious questions about their mobility and survivability in war.

“What happens when rockets get bigger? Vehicles are getting bigger too. As transporter launchers get larger, their mobility decreases,” Lee Sangmin, an expert at the Korea Institute of Defense Analysis in South Korea.

North Korea’s Central News Agency identified the missile as Hwasong-19 and called it “the most powerful strategic missile in the world” and an “excellent weapons system.” AP

The Hwasong-19 was estimated to be at least 32 feet long, while the advanced U.S. and Russian ICBMs are less than 66 feet long, said Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy in Seoul. .

He suggested that the missile’s size likely helped South Korean intelligence authorities detect the launch plan in advance.

“In the event of a conflict, such exposure makes the weapon a target for pre-emptive attack by adversaries, so there is a serious survival problem,” Chang said.

This screenshot obtained from a video posted on November 1, 2024 shows what they say is a vehicle with a mobile missile launcher parked in an undisclosed location. AP

Lee Illwoo, a Korea Defense Network expert in South Korea, said North Korea could have developed a larger missile to carry larger and more destructive warheads or multi-warheads.

In that case, Lee said North Korea could use liquid fuels because they generate more thrust than solid fuels.

Some advanced liquid fuels can be stored in rockets for several weeks before launch, he said.

Lee said North Korea may have placed a dummy, empty warhead on the Hwasong-19 so it could fly higher.

In recent years, North Korea has seen steady progress in its efforts to obtain nuclear-armed missiles.

Many foreign experts believe that North Korea likely has missiles that can launch nuclear attacks on all of South Korea, but does not yet have nuclear missiles that could strike the continental United States.

According to experts, hurdles it still needs to overcome include ensuring the warheads can survive the heat and stress of atmospheric re-entry, improving the missiles’ altitude control and guidance systems, and the ability to use multiple warheads on a single missile to defeat the missile. defense.

“Acquiring re-entry technology is currently the most important goal of North Korea’s missile development, especially for ICBMs, but instead the company is simply increasing range. This probably suggests that they still do not have confidence in their re-entry technology,” Lee Sangmin said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (right) and his daughter observe what appears to be a test launch of the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea, October 31, 2024. AP

Chang said Friday’s state media dispatch about the launch lacked details on the technological aspects of Hawong-19 and focused on advertising.

North Korea’s other claims about its weapons capabilities have been met with widespread skepticism outside.

In June, North Korea claimed to have tested a multi-warhead missile in its first known launch of such a weapon, but South Korea said the weapon exploded instead.

In July, when North Korea said it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a “super large warhead”, South Korea said the claim was an attempt to cover up the failed launch.

North Korea’s missile program continues to pose a serious threat to regional security, with the country openly threatening to use its nuclear missiles against rivals.

In a joint statement on Thursday, the foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan condemned the ICBM launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and expressed willingness to strengthen their efforts to block North Korea’s illicit revenue generation financing its missile and nuclear programs.

Kim Jong Un, second from right, watches as he says a test launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile “Hwasong-19” at an undisclosed location in North Korea, October 31, 2024. AP

South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday it had imposed unilateral sanctions on 11 North Koreans and four organizations over their alleged roles in acquiring missile components and generating foreign currency to finance Pyongyang’s weapons program.

The sanctions are largely symbolic, given the suspension of financial transactions between the Koreas for years.

Also on Friday, South Korea and the United States conducted their first-ever joint exercises using unmanned aerial vehicles as part of an effort to demonstrate their readiness.

This screenshot obtained from a video posted on November 1, 2024 shows what they say is a vehicle with a mobile missile launcher parked in an undisclosed location. via REUTER

According to the South Korean Air Force, a South Korean RQ-4B “Global Hawk” reconnaissance aircraft and an American MQ-9 Reaper strike drone were mobilized for training.

South Korea and the United States are expanding their regular military exercises to confront evolving nuclear threats from North Korea.

Observers say Thursday’s launch, North Korea’s first intercontinental ballistic missile test in almost a year, was largely intended to draw American attention in the days before the U.S. presidential election and in response to international condemnation over reports that North Korea had sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

Reports of North Korea sending troops underscore expanding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. South Korea.

The United States and other countries fear that North Korea may seek high-tech, sensitive Russian technologies to improve its nuclear and missile programs in exchange for joining the Russia-Ukraine war.