North Korea test-fires missile with range to strike all of U.S.

North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed near Japanese waters Friday in its second major weapons test this month that showed a potential ability to launch nuclear strikes on all of the U.S. mainland.

While it’s unclear whether North Korea possesses functioning nuclear-armed missiles, some experts say Friday’s launch involved its longest-range missile, which is still under development and is designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads to overcome U.S. missile defense systems.

North Korea’s recent torrid run of weapons tests aims to advance its nuclear arsenal and win greater concessions in future diplomacy. It comes as China and Russia have opposed U.S. moves to toughen U.N. sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear program.

The United States quickly condemned the launch and vowed to take “all necessary measures” to guarantee the safety of its territory and its allies South Korea and Japan. Vice President Kamala Harris met with the leaders of those countries and of Australia, Canada and New Zealand who are attending a regional forum in Bangkok to discuss the launch.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the ICBM launch from North Korea’s capital region around 10:15 a.m. Japan said it appeared to fly on a high trajectory and land west of its island of Hokkaido.

According to South Korean and Japanese estimates, the missile flew 3,790 miles at a maximum altitude of 620 miles.

Kwon Yong Soo, a former professor at Korea National Defense University in South Korea, said he believes North Korea tested a developmental Hwasong-17 missile, which he said can carry three to five nuclear warheads and fly as far as 9,300 miles.

North Korea has two other ICBMs — Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 — and their test launches in 2017 showed they could potentially reach parts or all of the U.S. homeland, respectively. But Kwon said North Korea needs a longer-range missile like the Hwasong-17 capable of flying a lengthier route to the American mainland to evade current U.S. missile defense systems.

The exact status of North Korea’s nuclear and missile technologies is shrouded in secrecy.




A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. South Korea says the missile North Korea launched Friday morning is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)