In a worrisome development, North Korea conducted another test of a long-range ballistic missile on Monday, raising concerns about its potential capability to strike the United States. This marks an extension of a series of weapons tests conducted by North Korea throughout the year, drawing condemnation from the Western nations.
The missile launch followed a test of a shorter-range missile on Sunday night. These back-to-back launches occurred amid heightened tensions between North Korea and the US-South Korean allies, involving renewed fierce rhetoric.
South Korea’s military reported the detection of the long-range ballistic missile launch from the Pyongyang area on Monday. The missile traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) before landing in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. Notably, the missile’s trajectory indicated an upward flight, a method North Korea has previously claimed to employ in certain tests to avoid flying over neighboring countries.
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Japan’s defense ministry identified the missile as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with the potential to cover the entire United States. Shingo Miyake, parliamentary vice-minister of defense, explained, “The ICBM-class ballistic missile launched this time, if calculated based on the trajectory, depending on the weight of the warhead, could have a flying range of over 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), in which case the whole of the US territory would be within the range.”
This latest launch adds to the four ICBMs previously test-fired by North Korea this year. The last one occurred in July, featuring the solid-fuel Hwasong-18. Notably, the Hwasong-18 is North Korea’s first ICBM to utilize solid fuel, making it more transportable and faster to launch than its liquid-fueled counterparts.
In response to Monday’s launch, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida labeled it a “threat to peace and stability,” emphasizing its violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The US State Department also issued a statement condemning the test.
The situation adds to the growing nuclear threats and increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The United States and South Korea recently conducted the second session of the Nuclear Consultative Group, where they discussed nuclear deterrence in the event of conflict with North Korea.
Tensions escalated further as the allies warned that any nuclear attack from Pyongyang on the United States and South Korea would result in the end of the North Korean regime. North Korea’s defense ministry responded by condemning the allies’ plans to expand joint military exercises, including a nuclear operation drill.
This latest missile launch, coupled with recent developments, raises concerns about the fragile peace in the region and underscores the need for diplomatic efforts to address the escalating situation.
