Kim Jong Un referred to North Korea’s latest Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile as the regime’s most potent weapon
North Korea showed off what it calls its “most powerful” intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a big military parade in Pyongyang. This shows that Kim Jong Un is becoming more nuclear-minded and that North Korea is becoming more like Russia.
The government said the event showed off a number of high-tech weapons, such as long-range strategic cruise missiles and drone launch vehicles. However, the Hwasong-20 ICBM, which they called the military’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system,” got all the attention.
In a speech for the 80th anniversary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, Kim Jong Un said, “Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish.”
Following weeks of rumors, the Hwasong-20 made its public debut on an 11-axle missile truck. A brand-new solid-fuel rocket engine made of carbon fiber powers the missile. It is said to be able to produce 1,971 kilonewtons of thrust, which is a big improvement over previous North Korean versions.
Analysts say the Hwasong-20 could be the next step in Pyongyang’s ability to launch long-range attacks.
One expert, Ankit Panda, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, called it “the pinnacle of North Korea’s goals for long-range nuclear delivery systems.” He also said that the system might be tested before the end of the year.
The Hwasong series has already given North Korea the ability to hit targets on other continents, but there are still concerns about how well its tracking systems work and how long its warheads will last when they enter the atmosphere again.
The new missile might be able to carry more than one nuclear warhead, which is something Kim has asked his troops to work on so they can be more effective against enemy defenses.
“The system is probably made so that it can deliver more than one warhead,” Panda said. “More than one warhead will put more stress on the US’s current missile defense systems and add to what Kim thinks is needed to really scare Washington off.”
Foreign leaders, such as Dmitry Medvedev, who is the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council and a close friend of President Vladimir Putin, also attended the parade on Friday. Russian media say Medvedev thanked North Korea for supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine and called the relationship between the two countries a “alliance proven in times of trial.”
Medvedev wrote on social media, “We are thankful to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for its unwavering support of the major military operation.” “All of our soldiers worked together to free the Kursk region. This accomplishment will always be special to us.
KCNA said that Kim Jong Un’s response was to promise to work more closely with Moscow and increase “diverse exchanges to achieve common goals.” This shows that relations between the two isolated, sanctioned countries are still getting stronger.
