North Korea tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on October 31, a launch believed to have achieved the longest flight time yet for a missile produced by the country.
A day after the test, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) identified the missile as the “Hwasong-19” ICBM and called it “the world’s strongest strategic missile” and “the perfected weapon system.”
KCNA said that leader Kim Jong Un observed the launch, describing it as “an appropriate military action” to express North Korea’s resolve to respond to its enemies’ moves that escalated tensions and threats to the national security of North Korea.
It added that Kim thanked weapons scientists for demonstrating North Korea’s “matchless strategic nuclear attack capability.”
North Korea tested its new Hwasong-19 ICBM, which it claims to be the world’s strongest strategic missile. pic.twitter.com/jsf1Y4jaQD
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) November 1, 2024
The Hwasong-19 was launched just days before the United States presidential election, and after warnings from South Korea’s intelligence agency that Pyongyang was planning to launch an ICBM to test its reentry technology.
The new missile reached a maximum altitude of 7,688 kilometers and flew a distance of 1,001 kilometers, according to KCNA.
Citing Japanese authorities, public broadcaster NHK said that the North Korean missile flew for about 86 minutes and to a possible altitude of 7,000 kilometers, before falling into the sea west of Okushiri Island in northern Hokkaido, outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.