SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened \u201cmore offensive actions\u201d to repel what he called increasing U.S.-led military threats after he supervised the third test of his country\u2019s most advanced missile designed to strike the mainland U.S., state media reported Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kim\u2019s statement suggests he is confidant in his growing missile arsenal and will likely continue weapons testing activities ahead of next year\u2019s presidential election in the United States. But many observers say North Korea still needs to perform more significant tests to prove it has functioning missiles targeting the U.S. mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After watching\u00a0Monday\u2019s launch\u00a0of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, Kim said the test showed how North Korea could respond if the United States were to make \u201ca wrong decision against it,\u201d according to the official Korean Central News Agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kim stressed the need to \u201cnever overlook all the reckless and irresponsible military threats of the enemies \u2026 and to strongly counter them with more offensive actions,\u201d KCNA said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hwasong-18 ICBM is a developmental, solid-fueled ICBM that is considered North Korea\u2019s most powerful weapon. Its built-in solid propellant makes launches harder for outsiders to detect than liquid-fueled missiles, which must be fueled before liftoffs. But many foreign experts say North Korea still has some other technological hurdles to master to acquire reliable nuclear-tipped ICBMs, such as one to protect warheads from the harsh conditions of atmospheric reentry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KCNA said the Hwasong-18 missile, launched on a high angle to avoid neighboring countries, flew a distance of 1,002 kilometers (622 miles) for 73.5 minutes at a maximum altitude of 6,518 kilometers (4,050 miles) before landing in an area off the North\u2019s east coast. It said Kim expressed \u201cgreat satisfaction\u201d with the launch, which verified again the reliability of \u201cthe most powerful strategic core striking means\u201d of North Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the North\u2019s third test of the Hwasong-18 missile. Its two previous launches occurred in\u00a0April\u00a0and\u00a0July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBased on their statement, this looks to have been an exercise in signaling and a developmental test in one,\u201d said Ankit Panda, an expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing new here technically as far as I can tell at this early stage, but they\u2019re certainly growing increasingly confident in their new solid propellant ICBM.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said the North\u2019s latest ICBM test is yet another indicator of how far its missile engine technology has progressed, but added there are limits to what North Korea can learn from lofted trajectory firings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDemonstrating warhead targeting and reentry capabilities would involve provocative launches across greater distances,\u201d Easley said. \u201cSo more significant tests of both technology and diplomacy are likely in the New Year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KCNA said its Hwasong-18 test was meant to issue a warning over its rivals\u2019 confrontational military moves on North Korea. It said a recent U.S.-South Korean meeting to discuss their nuclear deterrence plan openly revealed their intention to hold joint drills with a simulated nuclear attack on North Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also referred to the second Nuclear Consultative Group meeting between senior U.S. and South Korean officials last Friday. During their meeting in Washington, the two countries agreed to update their nuclear deterrence and contingency strategies and incorporate nuclear operation scenarios in their combined military exercises next summer, according to officials in Seoul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The consultative body is responsible for sharing information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans and joint operations, though the U.S. will retain operational control of its nuclear weapons. The group\u2019s establishment was part of U.S. efforts to ease South Korean worries about North Korean provocations while keeping Seoul from pursuing its own nuclear program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since last year, North Korea has performed more than 100 ballistic missile tests in what outside experts call an effort to upgrade its nuclear arsenal and win greater U.S. concessions. In response, the United States and South Korea have expanded their military training and increased the temporary deployments of powerful U.S. military assets in South Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Tuesday,\u00a0South Korea, the U.S. and Japan\u00a0began putting into operation the sharing of real-time missile warning data on North Korea and established details of their trilateral exercises in coming years, South Korea\u2019s Defense Ministry said in a statement. It added the three countries will beef up their three-way cooperation to cope with regional challenges and promote peace in the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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