North Korea conducts record launch of Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile VIDEO

North Korea showcased its military capabilities on November 1 with the test launch of a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) known as the Hwasong-19. 

This development comes amid growing international concern over reports of North Korean troops aiding Russia in the conflict in Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

According to state media, the missile launch occurred on October 31 and reached a higher altitude than any previous North Korean missile, as confirmed by both North Korean sources and military tracking from South Korea and Japan. The missile flew deep into space before splashing down in the ocean between Japan and Russia. North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, hailed the Hwasong-19 as "the world's strongest strategic missile."

Despite ongoing questions regarding North Korea's capability to effectively guide such a missile and ensure the safe re-entry of a nuclear warhead, the Hwasong-19, like North Korea's other recent ICBMs, is believed to have the range to target nearly any location within the United States. Kim Jong Un, overseeing the launch, claimed it demonstrated North Korea's unassailable position in the development and manufacture of nuclear delivery systems, according to KCNA.

Kuzey Kore, yeni 'Hwasong-19' kıtalararası balistik füzenin fırlatma videosunu yayınladı. pic.twitter.com/G9hPeX7Lcm

— TRT HABER (@trthaber) November 1, 2024

Historically, long-range missile tests have employed steep vertical, or lofted, trajectories. This latest launch, occurring just days before the US presidential election, provoked immediate condemnation from Washington, alongside reactions from its allies in South Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United Nations Secretary-General.

Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the US, commented that the missile's launch reinforces North Korea's strategic deterrent capabilities, with Kim seemingly intent on delivering that message to the United States.

In response, the South Korean and US air forces conducted their first-ever joint live-fire attack drills on November 1, deploying unmanned aerial vehicles, including the Global Hawk and Reaper drones, which carried out simulated strikes against enemy targets using GPS-guided munitions.

In a further demonstration of international pressure, South Korea imposed new sanctions November 1 against 11 North Korean individuals and four entities connected to missile and nuclear development. A spokesperson for South Korea's unification ministry indicated that the missile launch might serve multiple purposes, such as showcasing military technology, pressuring Washington, and diverting attention from the issue of North Korean troop deployments to Russia.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed frustration at what he described as a "zero" response from his allies concerning the deployment of North Korean troops in support of Russia's efforts in Ukraine. Concerns persist that Moscow could, in turn, offer sensitive military technology to Pyongyang as part of their growing alliance.

By Aghakazim Guliyev