Kim watches with daughter
North Korea tests new ICBM
4/14/2023 3:37 am
He wants to instill endless fear in his enemies, North Korea’s ruler Kim announced while testing the first ICBM to run on solid fuel. In South Korea, the neighbor’s recent threatening gesture is being followed closely.
North Korea says it has successfully tested a solid fuel ICBM. “A new type of ICBM ‘Hwasung-18’ has been tested,” North Korea’s state news agency KCNA said on Friday, confirming reports by the South Korean military leadership. This had reported the test of a “new missile” by Pyongyang, which “possibly uses solid fuel”. Photos from the North Korean state media showed ruler Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter, watching the rocket launch on the screen and then smiling.
According to KCNA, the test was intended to “confirm the capability of the high-performance solid-fuel multi-stage propulsion systems” and “assess the military effectiveness of the new strategic weapons system”. The new weapon will “reorganize our strategic deterrence and increase the effectiveness of our nuclear counterattack,” Kim said. “We will strike with deadly force and react aggressively until the enemy abandons idle strategy and foolish behavior and suffers from unending fear.”
Prepare for launch faster
So far, North Korea’s missile arsenal has consisted only of missiles powered by liquid fuel. Solid fuel rockets are easier to transport and store, making them more difficult to detect. They also prepare for launch faster than liquid-fuel rockets.
The military tensions on the Korean peninsula have recently increased drastically. The communist leadership in Pyongyang has repeatedly threatened a military escalation in the region. In the face of North Korea’s ongoing provocations, South Korea and the United States have strengthened their defense cooperation.