North Korea has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that flew for a record 86 minutes, covering over 1,000km before landing in waters off its east coast, according to South Korean and Japanese sources.
The missile, fired at a steep angle, reached an altitude of 7,000km (4,350 miles), indicating that a horizontal launch would have achieved a greater distance.
This launch on Thursday comes amid worsening relations between the Koreas and North Korea’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric towards Seoul. South Korea had warned on Wednesday that the North might test its ICBM around the US presidential election on 5 November.
South Korea’s defence ministry stated that the test aimed to develop weapons with greater range and altitude. In response, South Korea announced new sanctions against the North.
The US condemned the launch as a “flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.” Sean Savett, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council, stated that it demonstrated North Korea’s prioritisation of unlawful weapons programs over the well-being of its people.
The previous ICBM launch by North Korea occurred in December 2023, travelling 73 minutes and about 1,000km, despite long-standing UN sanctions.
In a rare same-day report, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described Thursday’s launch as a demonstration of the country’s will to respond to its enemies, reaffirming North Korea’s commitment to strengthening its nuclear forces.
Experts believe the launch aims to enhance the missile’s payload capacity, potentially enabling it to carry larger or multiple warheads. Kim Dong-yup, an assistant professor at the University of North Korean Studies, noted the development of missiles capable of reaching the US mainland with heavier warheads.
Japan monitored the launch, and South Korean and US officials agreed to “take strong and varied response measures,” according to a statement from South Korea’s military, which also confirmed ongoing close information-sharing with US and Japanese authorities.
This launch follows accusations from South Korea and the US that North Korea is sending troops to support Russia in its war in Ukraine. The Pentagon estimates around 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to eastern Russia for training, with more on their way.
The alleged deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has heightened concerns about the deepening ties between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. Neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has confirmed or denied these allegations.
Frances Ibiefo
Follow us on:
