North Korea Launches ICBM in First Test in Nearly a Year

Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile is launched from an undisclosed location in North Korea in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2023. KCNA via Reuters

A North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched on Thursday for the first time in nearly a year.

It was the longest ballistic missile test by the North with a flight-time of 87 minutes, according to South Korea.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the launch was ordered by the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, who was present when the missile was fired.

The United States, South Korea, and Japan also identified the weapon as an ICBM and condemned the launch as raising tensions.

According to the Japanese government the missile was launched on lofted test trajectory, reaching an altitude of 7,000 km (4,350 miles). On a normal, flatter trajectory that translates to a potential range of over 15,000 km (9,300 miles), putting anywhere in the mainland United States within range.

United States National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement that the United States is ready to take measures to ensure its security and that of its allies, South Korea and Japan.

“The United States strongly condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) intercontinental ballistic missile test,” Savett said.

“While U.S. INDOPACOM has assessed it did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, this launch needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region,” he said.

“The national security team is closely coordinating with our allies and partners,” he added.

Savett called the missile test “a flagrant violation” of several U.N. Security Council resolutions, which is needlessly raising tensions and risks destabilizing the region.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani speculated the missile might be a new model because its flight time of 86 minutes and altitude of 4,350 miles were far longer and higher than those of previous North Korean missile tests.

South Korea Joint Chief of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung Joon, said South Korea and the United States are planning “sufficient” bilateral military exercises and trilateral ones involving Japan in response.

According to Lee, the missile was fired from a 12-axle launch vehicle, the country’s largest mobile launch platform, at a high angle, possibly to avoid hitting neighboring countries.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff speculated North Korea could have been testing a new, solid-fueled long-range ballistic missile.

North Korea hasn’t had a missile test in nearly a year. It last test-fired an ICBM in December 2023 when it launched a Hwasong-18.

Recently, the Pentagon confirmed at least 10,000 North Korean troops were being sent to train in eastern Russia amid growing concerns that Moscow may intend to deploy them in combat against Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in an Oct.28 statement North Korean troops were in Russia and might be deployed in the Kursk region of the country.

The Associated Press, Reuters and Catherine Yang contributed to this report.