North Korea fires long-range ballistic missile ‘ICBM’: What is it? Should the West worry?

North Korea announced on Thursday that it had test-fired one of its most advanced and powerful weapons, aimed at strengthening its nuclear deterrence. Seoul has warned that this could be a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The launch was likely meant to catch American attention just days before the US election, as well as respond to criticism over North Korea’s alleged deployment of troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. Some experts believe Russia may have shared technological expertise with North Korea for this launch.

South Korea’s defence minister said on Wednesday that North Korea might seek new ICBM technology from Russia in exchange for sending troops to Ukraine. However, other military officials in Seoul said that Pyongyang’s missile programme has progressed so far that it is unclear what help it needs.

More from Explainers

How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch, describing it as “an appropriate military action” to signal North Korea’s readiness to counter any adversarial actions that jeopardise its security, according to state media.

Kim stated that “various adventuristic military manoeuvres” by its opponents underscore the necessity of North Korea’s nuclear capability. He reiterated that North Korea will not abandon its policy of strengthening its nuclear forces.

So, what is a solid-fuel missile?

A solid-fuel missile is powered by a chemical mixture embedded in the missile’s structure during its construction, functioning similarly to a preloaded firework that’s ready to launch at any moment.

Meanwhile, liquid-fuelled missiles require both fuel and an oxidiser to be added immediately before launch, a slower and more complex process.

For North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, solid-fuel missiles are preferable as they limit the “time period for South Korea to detect and target preemptively before the launch,” according to Han Kwon-hee of the Korea Association of Defence Industry Studies.

Editor’s Picks

1

Game of Drones: What’s the latest dispute between North Korea and South Korea? 2

Russia, Vietnam and more: Which countries are North Korea's military partners?

This ability is key to South Korea’s “Kill Chain” defence system, which aims to detect and neutralise threats before they are launched, Han said.

“It allows for rapid launches with minimal preparation,” he stated, adding that they can be deployed “almost instantly”.

ALSO READ | Are North Korean troops fighting Russia’s war in Ukraine? What does this mean for the conflict?

Advantages of solid fuel

Solid-fuel missiles do not require fuelling right before launch, making them simpler and safer to operate.

They also need less logistical support, which makes them more challenging to detect than liquid-fuel missiles.

“These capabilities are much more responsive in a time of crisis,” Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explained.

Who currently has this technology?

Solid fuel technology dates back to Chinese fireworks from centuries ago but saw major advancements in the 20th century with the US development of more powerful propellants.

North Korea uses solid fuel for a range of shorter-range ballistic missiles, as well as its new Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Soviet Union introduced its first solid-fuel ICBM, the RT-2, in the early 1970s, and France followed with its medium-range S3 missile.

China began testing solid-fuel ICBMs in the late 1990s, and South Korea has also claimed developing “efficient and advanced” solid-propellant technology, although primarily in smaller rockets so far.

Why is Kim testing it now?

Analysts have speculated North Korea timed the intercontinental ballistic missile test as a response to accusations by the United States and South Korea that it is sending thousands of soldiers to Russia to help fight Ukraine.

Seoul had warned that a North Korean missile launch or even a nuclear test was imminent ahead of next week’s US election.

The ICBM launch is part of North Korea’s effort to “reframe its troop deployment to Russia as a legitimate response to the threat posed by the United States,” Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP.

Seoul says that in addition to dispatching troops to Russia, Pyongyang has sent 13,000 shipping containers full of artillery shells, anti-tank rockets and missiles.

ALSO READ | What does North Korea’s nuclear arsenal look like?

What is the message behind the launch?

North Korea claims the launch on Thursday was a “very crucial” test of an ICBM.

Such missiles have a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres (3,400 miles) and are primarily designed to deliver nuclear warheads – which allows Kim to threaten the US.

The launch “demonstrates that Russia and North Korea, as nuclear-armed states, possess the capability to operate strategic nuclear weapons against the United States,” Hong said.

Kim may be signalling to Washington that “the North Korea-Russia alliance is, in essence, a nuclear alliance.”

Do North Korea’s ICBMs work?

North Korea claimed to have successfully tested its first ICBM in 2017 – the Hwasong-14, a missile capable of reaching Alaska – and has rolled out bigger and more powerful weapons since.

North Korea fired what has become known as the “monster missile” in November 2022, and tested a solid-fuel ICBM last year.

The record-breaking ICBM launch on Thursday “reached an altitude of 7,000 km and flew for 1 hour and 26 minutes,” South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon, who sits on the defence committee in parliament, wrote on Facebook.

“This makes Thursday’s launch the longest ever by North Korea, and possibly by any country,” Seoul-based specialist site NK News reported.

The duration and altitude indicate the North “tried to evaluate whether a heavy multiple-warhead ICBM can indeed reach the US mainland,” Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP.

All of North Korea’s ICBMs – including Thursday’s launch – have been test-fired on a lofted trajectory – meaning up not out.

Experts question whether they could survive re-entry into the atmosphere and prove accurate over greater ranges.

What else does Kim have?

His arsenal is substantial: cruise missiles, intermediate-range ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, and even a submarine-launched ballistic missile – although experts say Pyongyang’s exact sea-based launch capabilities remain unclear.

North Korea has also conducted six previous nuclear tests, with South Korea’s military telling lawmakers this week that the North could again attempt “to highlight nuclear issues before the US presidential election.”

Kim toured a uranium enrichment facility in September – with state media releasing images of it for the first time – and Seoul has said “preparations at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in Kilju County are nearly complete,” for a seventh test.

By flexing its military muscles, Kim is sending a clear message to Washington, experts said.

By successfully test-firing a solid-fuel mission “it could enable surprise ICBM attacks on US territories without prior warning,” Kim Ki-ho, a North Korean studies expert who teaches at Seoul Christian University, told AFP.

“This effort is aimed at enhancing their negotiating power, regardless of who wins the upcoming US presidential election.”

With inputs from AFP & Reuters