SEOUL:North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the successful trial of the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), as reported by state media on Thursday. This comes shortly after Pyongyang’s warning to shoot down any US spy planes entering its airspace. Images from state media showed a delighted Kim, accompanied by his wife and key advisors, applauding vigorously after the launch of the solid-fuel Hwasong-18 on Wednesday.
The official Korean Central News Agency revealed that the ICBM, previously fired only once in April, traveled 1,001 kilometers at a maximum altitude of 6,648 km before landing in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. Described by the Korean Central News Agency as a “momentous explosion” that reverberated across the globe, footage from state media showcased the missile soaring into the sky.
Kim declared his commitment to launching a series of even stronger military offensives until the United States and South Korea alter their policies towards North Korea, according to the agency. He also emphasized the need for greater efforts to enhance North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, citing the “unstable situation” on the Korean peninsula. The confirmation of the launch, initially reported by the South Korean military on Wednesday, coincides with the lowest point in relations between the two Koreas. Diplomatic efforts have stalled, and Kim has called for increased weapons development, including tactical nuclear weapons.
In response, Seoul and Washington have strengthened security cooperation, warning that North Korea would face a nuclear response and the demise of its current government if it were to employ its nuclear weapons against the allies. Seoul condemned Wednesday’s launch as a serious provocation that undermines the peace and security of the Korean peninsula. The United Nations, the United States, and their allies also strongly denounced the act. Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s chief government spokesperson, informed reporters that the test appeared to involve the same solid-fuel ICBM missile launched in April, cautioning that such missiles possess the advantage of rapid launch compared to Pyongyang’s liquid-fueled missiles. Wednesday’s test reportedly took place at a launchpad resembling a natural park surrounded by ponds and trees within a private estate owned by the Kim family on the eastern side of Pyongyang, according to the specialist site NK News. It occurred after North Korea accused the US of violating its airspace with a spy plane and condemned Washington’s plan to deploy a nuclear missile submarine near the Korean peninsula. North Korea stated that the US has escalated its espionage activities to provocative levels with spy plane flights. A North Korean defense spokesperson warned that there is no guarantee that a “shocking accident” like the downing of a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane would not occur in the East Sea of Korea. Kim’s influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, also criticized the alleged US airspace violations by spy aircraft and cautioned that North Korea would take decisive action if its maritime military demarcation line was crossed. In April, the United States announced that one of its nuclear-armed ballistic submarines would visit a South Korean port for the first time in decades, without specifying an exact date. South Korea and the United States are scheduled to commence their major annual joint military exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, next month. North Korea perceives all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion and has characterized them as frantic drills simulating an all-out war against Pyongyang. Choi Gi-il, a professor of military studies at Sangji University, predicted that North Korea would likely continue launching missiles similar to the Hwasong-18 until the end of August, coinciding with the scheduled joint South Korea-US military exercises. Despite the high cost of conducting ICBM launches, especially given North Korea’s dire economic conditions and reports of food shortages and famine, Choi stated that Pyongyang had sufficient missiles prepared to continue its testing spree. Recent satellite images suggest that North Korea is preparing for a large-scale military parade later this month to commemorate the July 27 armistice anniversary of the Korean War, known as Victory Day in the North.
