North Korea’s Record-Breaking Missile Launch Escalates Tensions

[Social Media]

 

North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, marking its longest recorded flight to date. The missile was in the air for an unprecedented 86 minutes, covering over 1,000 kilometers before descending into waters east of North Korea, according to reports from South Korea and Japan.

 

The missile was launched at a sharply angled trajectory, reaching an altitude of around 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles). Experts indicated that if launched on a flatter, horizontal trajectory, the missile could have achieved a much greater range, signaling North Korea's growing capability to cover extensive distances.

 

The launch comes amid escalating tensions between North and South Korea, with Pyongyang adopting increasingly aggressive language and actions toward Seoul. Just a day before the missile test, South Korea warned that the North could be planning to conduct an ICBM launch close to the U.S. presidential election on November 5. The South Korean defense ministry stated that the recent test appeared aimed at developing capabilities for weapons that could “fire farther and higher.”

 

In response to the test, South Korea announced plans to impose new sanctions on North Korea, a move intended to pressure Pyongyang into halting its missile developments. The United States was quick to condemn the launch as well. In a statement, Sean Savett, spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council, called it a “flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.” He added that North Korea’s action “only demonstrates that [North Korea] continues to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes over the well-being of its people.”

 

Pyongyang’s recent actions defy international sanctions that have long been in place. The last time North Korea launched an ICBM, in December 2023, the missile stayed airborne for 73 minutes and traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers. In a rare same-day report in North Korean state media, leader Kim Jong Un characterized Thursday's launch as a demonstration of North Korea’s “will to respond to our enemies” and described it as “appropriate military action.” Kim emphasized that “[North Korea] will never change its line of bolstering up its nuclear forces.”

 

Experts believe this latest launch was likely aimed at enhancing the payload capacity of North Korea’s missile technology. Kim Dong-yup, an assistant professor at the University of North Korean Studies, commented that Pyongyang has been developing missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, even with larger and potentially multiple warheads.

 

Japan closely monitored Thursday's launch, while South Korean and U.S. officials convened soon afterward, pledging to “take strong and varied response measures,” according to a statement from the South Korean military. They emphasized the importance of sharing North Korean ballistic information among South Korean, U.S., and Japanese authorities, with the South reaffirming its full readiness to respond to further developments.

 

The launch coincides with growing concerns that North Korea is deepening its alliance with Russia. Recently, South Korean and U.S. authorities accused Pyongyang of sending troops to Russia to support Vladimir Putin's campaign in Ukraine. The Pentagon estimates that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to training areas in eastern Russia, with a smaller contingent reportedly stationed in Russia’s west, near Kursk. The U.S. reported earlier this week that thousands more North Korean troops are en route to Russia.

 

While North Korea and Russia have yet to confirm or deny these allegations, the perceived presence of North Korean troops in Russia has only heightened concerns over the burgeoning partnership between Putin and Kim, signaling new complexities in the region’s already fraught dynamics.

 

Based on a report by BBC 2024-11-01

 

 

 

[jippytum]

North Korea has been subjected to strict worlwide sanction for decades. Shows how useless they are. 

[Purdey]

Funny that a coalition of western armies invaded Iraq pretty quickly based on rumors of Saddam building nuclear bombs, later found false, while North Korea gets this far and no invasion at all?

Understood, South Korea, a western ally, would take the brunt of an attack by the North. However, it seems the target is the USA but still nothing.

[transam]

1 minute ago, Purdey said:

Funny that a coalition of western armies invaded Iraq pretty quickly based on rumors of Saddam building nuclear bombs, later found false, while North Korea gets this far and no invasion at all?

Understood, South Korea, a western ally, would take the brunt of an attack by the North. However, it seems the target is the USA but still nothing.

Weeeell, they are on paper still at war, it just takes one party to make a move....😋

[Peterphuket]

5 hours ago, jippytum said:

North Korea has been subjected to strict worlwide sanction for decades. Shows how useless they are. 

What do you expect with China as nabour which are of the same kind.

[newbee2022]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, marking its longest recorded flight to date. The missile was in the air for an unprecedented 86 minutes, covering over 1,000 kilometers before descending into waters east of North Korea, according to reports from South Korea and Japan.

 

The missile was launched at a sharply angled trajectory, reaching an altitude of around 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles). Experts indicated that if launched on a flatter, horizontal trajectory, the missile could have achieved a much greater range, signaling North Korea's growing capability to cover extensive distances.

 

The launch comes amid escalating tensions between North and South Korea, with Pyongyang adopting increasingly aggressive language and actions toward Seoul. Just a day before the missile test, South Korea warned that the North could be planning to conduct an ICBM launch close to the U.S. presidential election on November 5. The South Korean defense ministry stated that the recent test appeared aimed at developing capabilities for weapons that could “fire farther and higher.”

 

 

In response to the test, South Korea announced plans to impose new sanctions on North Korea, a move intended to pressure Pyongyang into halting its missile developments. The United States was quick to condemn the launch as well. In a statement, Sean Savett, spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council, called it a “flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.” He added that North Korea’s action “only demonstrates that [North Korea] continues to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes over the well-being of its people.”

 

Pyongyang’s recent actions defy international sanctions that have long been in place. The last time North Korea launched an ICBM, in December 2023, the missile stayed airborne for 73 minutes and traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers. In a rare same-day report in North Korean state media, leader Kim Jong Un characterized Thursday's launch as a demonstration of North Korea’s “will to respond to our enemies” and described it as “appropriate military action.” Kim emphasized that “[North Korea] will never change its line of bolstering up its nuclear forces.”

 

Experts believe this latest launch was likely aimed at enhancing the payload capacity of North Korea’s missile technology. Kim Dong-yup, an assistant professor at the University of North Korean Studies, commented that Pyongyang has been developing missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, even with larger and potentially multiple warheads.

 

Japan closely monitored Thursday's launch, while South Korean and U.S. officials convened soon afterward, pledging to “take strong and varied response measures,” according to a statement from the South Korean military. They emphasized the importance of sharing North Korean ballistic information among South Korean, U.S., and Japanese authorities, with the South reaffirming its full readiness to respond to further developments.

 

The launch coincides with growing concerns that North Korea is deepening its alliance with Russia. Recently, South Korean and U.S. authorities accused Pyongyang of sending troops to Russia to support Vladimir Putin's campaign in Ukraine. The Pentagon estimates that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to training areas in eastern Russia, with a smaller contingent reportedly stationed in Russia’s west, near Kursk. The U.S. reported earlier this week that thousands more North Korean troops are en route to Russia.

 

While North Korea and Russia have yet to confirm or deny these allegations, the perceived presence of North Korean troops in Russia has only heightened concerns over the burgeoning partnership between Putin and Kim, signaling new complexities in the region’s already fraught dynamics.

 

Based on a report by BBC 2024-11-01

 

 

 

Good that the hegemon condemns the launch.

That will help. The N-Koreans will be frightened

[candide]

It's interesting to observe that two vassal states of China, Russia and NK, have forged an alliance which de-facto weakens their dependence on China.