North Korea missiles could reach Britain by next year, MPS warn

North Korea will almost certainly be able to reach the UK with a nuclear weapon within 18 months if its weapons programme continues at the same pace, MPS have said. The House of Commons defence select committee report into the country said it was a “reasonable assumption” the North could reach the UK already and that it is “almost certain” to be able to carry nuclear warheads to these shores by 2019.

It added the UK has a “limited” ballistic missile defence 0 Kim Jong-un was described as ruthless but rational system – but also noted there had been “no sign” of Kim Jong-un wanting to target the UK with nuclear weapons. The report also suggested North Korea could be “dissuaded” from using nuclear weapons – adding the leader was “ruthless... but rational”.

It said: “We believe it is obvious to North Korea that launching such weapons would lead inescapably to devastating military consequences from the US, South Korea and other countries too. It would result in the downfall indeed the annihilation of the regime: the polar opposite of what Kim Jong-un is seeking to achieve. He is ruthless, like other Communist dictators before him, but he is rational.”