North Korea has claimed its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-19, as “the world’s strongest” missile. However, experts argue that the missile’s size may hinder its practical use in warfare. The test, conducted on Thursday, saw the missile fly higher and longer than any previously launched by the nation, as reported by the Associated Press. Foreign analysts assert that North Korea still faces major technological challenges before it can effectively target the mainland United States.
Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader, oversees the launch, according to the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA ), citing this as a sign of North Korea’s unwavering commitment to defending itself from external threats. According to the launch’s images, the missile uses preloaded good fuel, making it more lean and less difficult to detect than with conventional liquid fuels.
Despite the impressive launch, experts have raised alarms about the missile’s oversized dimensions, estimating it to be at least 28 metres long ( 92 feet ), considerably larger than advanced US and Russian ICBMs, which measure less than 20 metres (66 feet ).
According to Lee Sangmin of the South Korean Institute for Defense Assessments, larger vehicles carrying missiles are likely to be less portable, making them more vulnerable to being attacked first if a fight breaks up.
The missile’s large size may reveal North Korea’s ambition to have larger warheads or several warheads. Chang Young-keun and Lee Illwoo from the Korea Defense Network both speculated that North Korea might have used liquid fuels for increased force, while Chang Young-keun noted that the rocket’s size does have enabled South Korean knowledge to anticipate the launch program.
North Korea has not yet demonstrated its atomic weapons capability, despite claims that it has improved its nuclear arsenal.
The launch was condemned as a infraction of UN Security Council resolutions by the foreign ministers of South Korea, the US, and Japan in response to the new test. The South Korean government put forth unilateral sanctions against 11 North Koreans and four organizations for their alleged functions in the procurement of missile parts.
