SEOUL: North Korea said that it tested a new and “most powerful” solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) missile to date.
North Korea’s state media that the solid-fuel missile could be fired more quickly than liquid-fuel missile, making it harder to intercept. But analysts say they were not without downsides.
This was the first time North Korea test-fired a solid-fuel ICBM after years of testing mostly solid-fuel short-range missiles. It has previously tested various ICBMs, but those were powered by liquid propellants that could not be fuelled for prolonged periods.
Experts said it was a breakthrough in North Korean weapons programme, as solid-fuel ICBMs would enable the isolate country to strike the US with little to no warning.
On Friday, South Korea’s Defence Ministry said that the technology was not new and described test as a “middle step” in developing a full-fledged solid-fuel ICBM system.
Kim Jong Un, North Korean leader, who oversaw the test with his wife, daughter and ister, said the test would make opponents “suffer from extreme fear and anxiety”.
He also said that the test-fired weapon, known as the Hwasong-18, helped the North’s aggressive military strategy.
Korean Central News Agency said the launch “confirmed the performance of the high-thrust solid-propellant multistage motors, and the stage separation technology and the reliability of various functional control systems.
The launch sparked anxiety northern Japan, where an evacuation order and alert was issued to residents before it was retracted within 30 minutes. Schools in Japan’s Hokkaido island delayed their class timing and some train services remained suspended.
