North Korea on Tuesday stated that it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile, which is capable of carrying an enormous warhead as part of its strategy to modernise its weapons stocks against what it perceives to be US led threats.
The Korean Central News Agency said the weapon was named Hwasongpho-11Da-4.5 and could carry “super-large warhead” of class 4.5 tonnes.
The firing test carried out yesterday was meant to check flight stability and accuracy for maximum range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and minimum range of 90 kilometers (55 miles).
On Monday, South Korea’s military had earlier indicated that two ballistic missiles were launched by North Korea from one of its southwestern towns in a northeastern direction with the first missile flying for 600 kilometers (370 miles) and the second missile travelling 120 kilometers (75 miles). The second missile did not cover the distance that is required get to the waters off the North’s east coast, which is where most North Korean test missiles land.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that during the early stages, the second missile launched by North Korea may have flown abnormally. It added that if exploded, there would likely have been debris scattered about although no damages were reported immediately.
However, it was not mentioned neither from where this missile was launched nor where it landed in KCNA dispatch. Nevertheless, launching both missiles at maximum and minimum ranges suggested two launches according to Paek Chang-Ho who works at Institute for Unification Studies at Seoul National University.
KCNA citing North Korea’s Missile Administration adds that in July this year, North Korea will launch this missile again so as to examine performances of its simulated warhead at medium range of 250 km (155 miles).
Since 2022, North Korea has stepped up testing activities aimed at expanding its inventory of nuclear-capable weapons capable of reaching key targets on mainland USA, South Korea and Japan. The range of the newly tested missile suggests that it is aimed at South Korea. North Korea aims to use an expanded nuclear arsenal as a bargaining chip in future diplomacy with the US, according to experts.
The tests of Monday’s missiles represented the first weapons firing in five days by North Korea. On Wednesday, North Korea test-fired a so-called multiwarhead missile, which was its first know trial of a developmental weapon capable of piercing through rivals’ missile defenses. According to North Korea, the launch went well however South Korea described it as an attempt by North Koreans’ to hide their failure.
These latest launches came after North vowed offensive and overwhelming responses to the new US military exercise with South Korean and Japanese forces yesterday.
