Close-up of North Korea’s Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile

According to the AP news agency and The Guardian, North Korean state media reported that Mr Kim Jong Un directly directed the test launch of the Hwasong-17 missile. This is the new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, North Korea’s largest to date.

North Korea will continue to expand its nuclear war deterrent while preparing for a long confrontation with the United States, leader Kim Jong Un said.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the new missile flew 1,090 km, reached a maximum altitude of 6,248 km and hit a target at sea during its 67-minute journey. KCNA said the launch met the technical goals and proved that the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile can be deployed quickly in wartime.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries issued similar statements detailing the North’s missile launch. The two countries said that the missile North Korea launched flew higher and farther than any missile the country has tested before.

According to some estimates, the 25-meter-long Hwasong-17 is North Korea’s longest-range missile and the world’s largest mobile land-launched ballistic missile system.

North Korea showed off the missile during a military parade in October, and yesterday’s test was its first full-range test.

The series of photos of the Hwasong-17 missile and the latest test was posted by KCNA:

Leader Kim Jong Un watches the launch

Close-up of North Korea’s largest intercontinental ballistic missile

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Hoai Linh