North Korea missile launch seen as message to U.S.

SEOUL — North Korea’s launch of a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland appears to be part of Pyongyang’s push to strengthen its military power. e latest missile test might also be an attempt to drag the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to the negotiating table, with North Korea hoping to get sanctions li ed. ere are concerns that Pyongyang might escalate its provocations, such as by launching an ICBM that ies further than March 24’s launch. According to statements by Japan’s Defense Ministry and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Sta , the missile ew for about 70 minutes and reached an altitude of more than 6,000 kilometers — both records for a North Korean missile.

e missile was launched at a steep angle and it landed in the Sea of Japan. is was possibly done so North Korea could gauge the U.S. reaction to the launch.

At a press conference on March 25, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi strongly condemned the launch, saying, “is is a serious threat to the peace and stability of our country and the international community.”

e latest missile was launched on a lo ed trajectory, which is more di cult to intercept. Kishi said the missile would be able to y about 15,000 kilometers if it followed a conventional trajectory, meaning “all of the continental United States” would be within its range.

e Hwasong-15 ICBM that North Korea launched in November 2017 has an estimated range of about 10,000 kilometers, which would not be su cient to reach the U.S. capital.

On March 25, the Korean Central News Agency reported that Pyongyang test- red its new Hwasong-17 ICBM on March 24.

According to the state news agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on March 23 signed an order to conduct the launch, which he attended March 24. “If the safety of our country is threatened, a price must be paid ... We will thoroughly prepare for a long-time confrontation against the imperialism of the United States,” Kim reportedly said.

e news agency also quoted him as saying, “e determination of the party and the government to strengthen deterrence with nuclear capabilities is unshakable. We will place top priority on putting all our energy into reinforcing our defense capability.”

North Korea insists that the missiles it launched on Feb. 27 and March 5 were for the “development of reconnaissance satellites.” Japan, the United States and South Korea believe the launches tested a new ICBM system.

In January 2021, Kim announced a satellite development program. When the North Korean leader inspected the country’s National Aerospace

Development Administration last month, he issued instructions to deploy “many” reconnaissance satellites by 2025. Kim also visited a missile testing site in Tongchang-ri in the northwest of the country and ordered the facility be expanded to accommodate the launch of a “large rocket” carrying a satellite. All these steps appear to have hinted at an ICBM launch.

In April, Kim will mark 10 years since he assumed the leadership. April 15 would have been the 110th birthday of Kim’s late grandfather, Kim Il Sung. ere are speculations that North Korea might conduct another missile launch by this month to enhance the nation’s prestige.

In 2018, North Korea announced before a summit between Kim and then U.S. President Donald Trump that it was suspending ICBM and nuclear tests. In January 2022, Kim announced that Pyongyang would consider restarting such activities.

During a meeting of the National Security Council on March 24, South Korean President Moon Jae-in criticized Pyongyang’s actions.

“[Kim] has apparently abandoned the moratorium that he promised to the international community himself,” Moon said. “It is a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution.”

As a retaliatory measure, the South Korean military launched ve missiles, including a Hyunmoo-2 surface-to-surface missile, that landed in the Sea of Japan on the evening of March 24. (March 26)