North Korea has declared its newly test-launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as “the world’s strongest” despite it being too big for practical wartime use, according to experts.
On Thursday, North Korea launched an ICBM that soared higher and lasted longer in flight than any of its previous tests.
However, foreign analysts contend that the test failed to prove the country’s ability to deliver functional ICBMs capable of reaching mainland America.
The missile, known as the Hwasong-19, was hailed by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency as “the world’s strongest strategic missile” and the pinnacle of weaponry perfection.
The state outlet also reported that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un witnessed the test, which they framed as a stark statement of North Korea’s determination to counteract perceived existential threats.
The missile appears to use a pre-packed solid fuel feature that makes missiles more agile and less detectable than liquid fuels, which generally require pre-launch preparation.
Experts have pointed out that the visual evidence indicates that the ICBM and its transporter erector launcher are exceedingly large, raising doubts about their suitability for actual combat deployment.
Lee Sangmin, an expert at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said: “When missiles get bigger, what happens? The vehicles get larger, too. As the transporter-erector launchers get bigger, their mobility decreases.”
According to Chang Keun, a missile expert at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, the Hwasong-19 was estimated to be at least 28 metres long, while advanced US and Russian ICBMs are less than 20 metres long.
He suggested that the missile’s size likely assisted South Korean intelligence authorities in detecting the launch plan ahead of time.
He said: “In the event of a conflict, such an exposure makes the weapon a target of a preemptive attack by opponents, so there would be a big issue of survivability.”
Friday’s state media report on the Hawsong-19 missile launch was scant on technical details and seemed more focused on generating publicity.
North Korea’s claims about its military capabilities have often been met with scepticism from the international community.
For instance, in June, when North Korea announced it had tested a multiwarhead missile, which would be the first known test of such a weapon, South Korea countered by saying the missile had actually exploded.
Similarly, in July, following North Korea’s claim of successfully test-firing a new tactical ballistic missile with the capacity to carry “a super-large warhead”, South Korea dismissed the assertion as a cover-up for a failed launch.
