North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a threat of "more offensive actions" in response to perceived increasing US-led military threats, following the third test of the country's most advanced missile, the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Kim's statement, reported by state media, indicates confidence in North Korea's growing missile arsenal, with potential continued weapons testing activities ahead of the 2024 US presidential election. However, observers argue that more substantial tests are required to prove the functionality of missiles targeting the US mainland, as per The Independent.
North Korea's Hwasong-18 ICBM Raises Concerns
The Hwasong-18 ICBM, a solid-fueled developmental missile, is considered North Korea's most powerful weapon. The built-in solid propellant makes launches more challenging to detect than liquid-fueled missiles. Despite this, foreign experts suggest that North Korea faces technological hurdles, such as ensuring reliable atmospheric reentry conditions for warheads.
Kim's supervision of the Hwasong-18 launch demonstrated North Korea's ability to respond to perceived threats. The missile, launched at a high angle to avoid neighboring countries, covered a distance of 1,002 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of 6,518 kilometers, landing off the North's east coast. Kim expressed "great satisfaction" with the launch, reinforcing the missile's reliability as a strategic core striking means.
This marked the third test of the Hwasong-18, following launches in April and July. Experts view this as a signaling exercise and a developmental test, indicating North Korea's growing confidence in its new solid propellant ICBM. While missile engine technology has progressed, there are limits to what North Korea can learn from lofted trajectory firings.
Kim's statement also referenced a recent US-South Korean meeting, openly revealing plans for joint drills, including a simulated nuclear attack on North Korea.
The Nuclear Consultative Group meeting aimed to update nuclear deterrence and contingency strategies, incorporating nuclear operation scenarios in combined military exercises. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the formation of a "nuclear-based, powerful Korea-US alliance," according to ABC News.
Coordinated Response to North Korea's Actions
The North's actions have led to concerns and coordinated responses. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced coordination with Washington and Seoul for a United Nations Security Council meeting.
The United States, South Korea, and Japan have strengthened military training, enhanced trilateral security cooperation, and increased temporary deployments of US military assets in South Korea. Real-time missile warning data sharing on North Korea has been initiated, and trilateral exercises' details have been established.
North Korea perceives growing US-South Korea-Japan partnerships as a security threat, seeking closer ties with China and Russia. Suspicions arise that North Korea may receive sophisticated weapons technologies from Russia in exchange for supplying conventional arms to support Russia's war in Ukraine.
Expert opinions suggest that the Kim regime concentrates resources on its weapons program due to justified actions of cooperation and information-sharing among allies. Kim strategically navigates regional alliances, gravitating toward Beijing and Moscow to serve as a thorn in the side of US-allied countries while protecting North Korea's security and interests, WION reported.
