Kim Jong Un’s Warning Shot: ICBM Launch Sends Strong Message

North Korea announced on the 19th that it successfully conducted a test launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-18 on the 18th.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the ICBM reached a maximum apogee of 6,518 km, flying for 73 minutes and 58 seconds and accurately hitting the target area in the East Sea over 1,000 km away.

The KCNA stated, “The launch exercise did not have any negative impact on the safety of neighboring countries,” adding, “Through the launch exercise, the reliability of North Korea’s most powerful strategic nuclear strike means was once again verified.”

Particularly, the report emphasized that the ICBM test launch was a significant military activity conducted based on the decision of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea. It was described as a “critical military action to imprint the overwhelming will and power of North Korea’s nuclear strategic weapons on its adversaries” and a “warning response measure to deal with the current situation.

Specifically, the agency referred to the second meeting of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) held in Washington DC on the 15th, claiming, “It ignited the strong anger and ultra-hardline retaliation will of the Republic’s armed forces.”

It also criticized, “The U.S. has incessantly sent nuclear strategic bombers, extra-large strategic nuclear submarines, nuclear aircraft carriers, etc., and sending the nuclear-powered submarine ‘USS Missouri’ again on the 17th is an extremely provocative act.”

The agency reported that Chairman Kim Jong-un observed the launch training on-site, with the commanders of the Missile General Bureau also in attendance.

Chairman Kim evaluated, “It became an opportunity to clearly show what actions we are prepared to take quickly and what choices we will make when Washington makes a wrong decision against us.”

He directed, “We must never overlook all sorts of military threat acts by the enemies, and if the enemies continue to make the wrong choices, we must respond strongly with more evolved and more threatening methods through more offensive actions.”

The agency added, “Chairman Kim proposed several major tasks for accelerating nuclear power.”

Earlier, North Korea, marking the 12th anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death on the night of the 17th, launched a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea. Following this, on the previous day, they conducted an ICBM test launch into the East Sea, continuing military provocations for two consecutive days.

By. Yoon Sun Choi