It’s been a busy start to 2024 for North Korea. In less than a month, North Korea has tested a new solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile, topped with a “hypersonic warhead”; a new strategic cruise missile; and a previously-seen “nuclear-capable underwater attack drone.” All that comes on top of leader Kim Jong Un publicly abandoning the … Read more
Since the breakdown of the 2019 Hanoi Summit between then-U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea has openly beefed up its missile capabilities. Also, with the election of Yoon Suk-yeol, the conservative South Korean president, in March 2022, tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been aggravated by the explicit … Read more
North Korea’s first satellite inserted into space was launched on December 12, 2012. However, the satellite failed to stabilize itself and began tumbling and malfunctioning days after achieving orbit, thus becoming defunct. Subsequently, another satellite was lifted into orbit on February 7, 2016, and this time it appeared to fly in a stable orbit, giving … Read more
In this undated photo provided on Aug. 21, 2023, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, observes what it says the test-firing of strategic cruise missiles. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Credit: Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP Advertisement North … Read more
Asia Defense | Security | East Asia Kim Jong Un toured factories producing tactical missiles, mobile launch platforms, armored vehicles, and artillery shells, ordering them to “drastically boost” production capacity. In this undated photo provided on Aug. 14, 2023, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, rides on an armored vehicle during his Aug. … Read more
The Koreas | Diplomacy | East Asia Amb. Kim Song defended North Korea’s recent long-range missile test-flight as a legitimate exercise of the North’s right to self-defense. North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song addresses a Security Council meeting on Non-proliferation/North Korea, on July 13, 2023 at United Nations headquarters. Credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer Advertisement North Korea’s … Read more
Advertisement North Korea has confirmed that the missile it fired on July 12 was its Hwasong-18, a new type of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The missile flew for 74 minutes – the longest flight time ever recorded by any weapon launched by Pyongyang. Wednesday’s launch marked the North’s second launch of the Hwasong-18 following … Read more
Advertisement North Korea test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile in three months on Wednesday, days after it threatened “shocking” consequences to protest what it called provocative United States reconnaissance activity near its territory. Some experts say North Korea likely launched its developmental, road-mobile Hwasong-18 ICBM, a type of solid-fuel weapon that is harder to detect … Read more