North Korean state media heralded Saturday the second test of the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile conducted hours earlier, asserting that the test demonstrated the country’s ability to launch a surprise attack on any U.S. target at any time.
North Korea followed its July 4 test of the Hwasong-14 ICBM with another successful test Friday, offering a clearer view of the weapon’s capabilities. The lofted missile flew for around 45 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of approximately 3,800 kilometers and covering a distance of roughly 1,000 kilometers. Expert observers estimate that if the missile were to be fired along a normal trajectory, the weapon would likely have a range between 10,400 kilometers and 11,000 kilometers, the upper end of which would put most of the continental U.S. within striking distance.
Observers initially thought the maximum range of North Korea’s new ICBM stopped at Alaska, but it appears the Hwasong-14 is much more powerful than previously thought.
Friday’s test was designed to “confirm the overall technical specifications of the weapon system,” which is capable of carrying a “large-sized heavy nuclear warhead,” the Korean Central News Agency reportedSaturday. Leading arms experts suspect the missile may be able to carry a one-ton thermonuclear payload.