North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapons development programs have brought heavy worldwide sanctions down on its head, but it says they are justified because of the threat posed by the US and South Korea.
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After what North Korea claimed was the successful test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Wednesday, Pyongyang is on track to develop the capability to strike targets in the region, including Japan, by 2020, given the speed of its development, according to a website run by a US research institute.
On Monday North Korea had warned of a preemptive strike in response to the military drills.
The North’s official KCNA news agency said: “A test-fire of strategic submarine-launched ballistic missile was successfully conducted under the guidance of supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army Kim Jong-un”. Pyongyang’s missile travelled 500km – its longest cruise from a submarine – towards Japan before landing in the waters of Tokyo’s special defence zone.
“The enemy has always launched provocations in a manner that is hard for us to predict”, added Jung, and specifically placed anti-submarine units on high alert.
“I do not guess what ridiculous remarks the USA and its followers will make about this test-fire, but I can say their rash acts will only precipitate their self-destruction”, Kim reportedly said.
But Japanese experts also said Pyongyang could have its SLBM system in place by 2020, given Wednesday’s success, implying that Japan, the United States and South Korea could face more nuclear threats from the defiant hermit nation.
North Korea is “bolstering” its “nuclear attack capability hour by hour” due to threats the US mainland and military presence in the Pacific present, according to the state-run media.
The North Korean state news agency added that the leader was “watching the trajectory of the ballistic missile”, which was given the name Pukguksong.
“He noted with pride that the results of the test-fire proved in actuality that the [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] joined the front rank of the military powers fully equipped with nuclear attack capability”, the KCNA wrote.
Takesada said North Korea needs to have at least four SLBM-armed submarines to successfully deploy SLBMs. Amid the increasing likelihood of North Korea’s SLBMs becoming a real threat, the controversy about the military efficacy of deploying THAAD with USA forces in South Korea is expected to be reignited. If North Korea also rushes to deploy its SLBM without adequate testing, the South Korean military would probably have no choice but to take precautionary measures.
On Wednesday, August 24, the three countries held a meeting to talk about the missile launch of North Korea. After the launch Kim is seen smiling and being congratulated by the officers.
The UN Security Council met for two hours on Wednesday to discuss North Korea’s latest provocative move and agreed to consider a statement condemning the launch. Liquid fuel is not a safe choice for SLBMs, since it can slosh around in the tank when the missile is ejected from the submarine’s launch tube, causing the missile to wobble or the tank to rupture.
South Korean military concluded that it reached an altitude of 500 kilometers, about 350 kilometers higher than the normal altitude of 150 kilometers.
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North Korea has conducted a spate of military technology tests this year, including a fourth nuclear test in January and numerous ballistic missile launches, in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions that were tightened in March.
