North Korea tests new missile with 'massive warhead' capability
North Korea conducted a test of a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a "massive warhead," the North Korean news agency KCNA reported on Tuesday. On Monday, the military in Seoul reported the launch of two missiles, one of which likely exploded over North Korean territory.
7:21 AM EDT, July 2, 2024
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korea successfully launched a test launch of the missile Hwasong-11Da-4.5 on Monday. According to the agency, this missile can carry a "massive warhead" weighing 5 tons.
KCNA noted that "the test launch was conducted with a missile armed with a mock heavy warhead." The test aimed to check flight stability and accuracy at a maximum range of 310 miles and a minimum of 56 miles. The agency emphasized that these tests are intended to confirm the missile's effectiveness and reliability.
The agency added that further tests of the missile are planned for July. These subsequent tests aim to "verify the flight characteristics, accuracy, and explosive power of the massive warhead at a medium range of 155 miles."
Two ballistic missiles detected
On Monday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported detecting two ballistic missiles launched early in the morning local time from the area of South Hwanghae Province towards the northeast.
One of the missiles flew 373 miles and fell into the Sea of Japan, while the second, whose flight trajectory was incorrect from the start, flew a distance of 75 miles and disappeared from radar. If the second missile exploded, its debris could have been dispersed over North Korean territory.
The KCNA dispatch did not state where the new missile was launched or where it landed. However, the AP agency emphasizes that the fact that both maximum and minimum ranges were tested suggests that North Korea launched two missiles. The agency adds that such a range indicates that the rocket can be used to strike targets on South Korean territory.
