North Korea confirms test of Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile

Seoul (Best Hindu News): North Korea confirmed on Thursday that it had tested the Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day. Along with this, its leader Kim Jong-un pledged that as long as America continues its hostile policy against Pyongyang, he will continue to strengthen his army. North Korea launched a new variant of the Hwasong-18 missile in a test aimed at verifying the technical reliability and operational reliability of the country’s main weapon system, according to Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It marked North Korea’s second solid-propellant ICBM launch, following its first test-firing on April 13, Yonhap news agency reported. Significantly, the solid-fuel ICBM is one of the high-tech weapon systems Kim has vowed to develop. Solid-fuel missiles are known to be more difficult to detect prior to launch than liquid-propellant missiles, requiring more pre-launch preparations.

North Korea said that Hwasong-18 flew 1,001.2 km for 4,491 seconds at a maximum altitude of 6,648.4 km, before landing precisely on a pre-determined area in the East Sea. According to experts, its flight time was the longest ever for a North Korean ICBM, and if it was fired on a standard trajectory, the missile could fly more than 15 thousand km.

“The test is a necessary process, aimed at further developing the republic’s strategic nuclear power. At the same time, it is a clear warning to North Korea’s detractors,” KCNA said. The missile test came as North Korea earlier this week condemned US surveillance flights over its “economic waters” and threatened to shoot down US spy planes in the event of “repeated illegal intrusions”.