New Nokor missile range capable of reaching US
South Korea military says Hwasong-15 could hit targets 13,000 kilometers away
SEOUL— South Korea’s military said North Korea’s new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was potentially capable of striking targets as far as 13,000 kilometers away when fired at an operational angle, which would put Washington within reach.
Seoul’s defense ministry told South Korean lawmakers on Friday that it was unclear how close the Hwasong-15 was to being combat ready.
The ministry said further reviews were needed to determine whether the missile’s warhead would survive atmospheric reentry, be accurately guided to the target and detonate properly.
The ministry’s assessment was similar to most private analyses that followed North Korea’s flight test of the missile Wednesday and release of photographs and video of the launch on Thursday.
Moon soothes Trump
But South Korean President Moon Jae-in told President Donald Trump that North Korea still has technological challenges to clear before obtaining an ICBM that could viably target the US mainland.
Seoul’s presidential office said on Friday that Moon, in an hour-long phone call with Trump, shared South Korea’s assessment that the North needed to perfect skills for miniaturizing nuclear weapons so that they could fit on their ICBMs and ensuring that the warheads withstand atmospheric reentry.
Moon’s office said he told Trump that the test of the new Hwasong-15 did represent a jump in North Korea’s missile technologies and that stronger international efforts should be made to stop further advancements.
Germany warning
Moon’s office said the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang to discourage its nuclear ambitions.
Germany’s foreign minister said he was recalling a diplomat from North Korea in protest of the country’s latest missile test.
The German dpa news agency reported Thursday that Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was recalling a diplomat from the German embassy in Pyongyang, though not the German ambassador.
Further details were not im- mediately available.
North Korea tested an ICBM early Wednesday that was considered its most powerful yet.
The US has pushed for other countries to cut all diplomatic and economic ties to North Korea to isolate the regime and pressure it to retreat on its weapons development.
But Russia said it opposes a US push for further isolation of North Korea after its recent missile test.
Sanctions useless
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that the possibilities of pressuring North Korea with more sanctions have been exhausted. He deplored the US refusal to engage in talks with North Korea and noted that a series of military drills by the US and its allies in the region fueled tensions.
Lavrov referred to comments by the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, who warned that the North Korean missile test “brings us closer” to a war the US isn’t seeking.
If they want to find a pretext for destroying North Korea they should say it openly Sergey Lavrov Russian foreign minister