IRIA News

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North Korea launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into waters off its eastern coast, achieving the longest flight duration to date for a missile fired by Pyongyang. South Korean and Japanese authorities confirmed the missile launch, which is heightening concerns about North Korea’s expanding weapons capabilities and its regional intentions.

The launch took place early on October 31, 2024. The missile was observed flying for an unprecedented 87 minutes before landing in waters approximately 300 kilometers west of Okushiri Island, near Japan’s Hokkaido region.

The latest test substantially exceeded the previous record of 73 minutes, set in December 2023. The missile reached an altitude of 7,000 kilometers and covered a horizontal distance of 1,000 kilometers before descending into the sea.

According to North Korea’s state-run media outlet KCNA, the supreme leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch and warned his “rivals.” Kim said, “The test-fire is an appropriate military action that fully meets the purpose of informing the rivals, who have intentionally escalated the regional situation and posed a threat to the security of our Republic recently, of our counteraction will.”

The North Korean leader added that the missile launch is part of the country’s response to perceived threats and an assertion of its right to defend its sovereignty.

Japan and South Korea’s reaction

Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed this was North Korea’s longest-recorded missile flight. “It was the longest time flying of any missile so far,” Nakatani told reporters. He noted that the weapon differed from conventional missiles and was likely designed to gather more sophisticated data on atmospheric re-entry, a critical component for long-range ballistic missile technology.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced that the missile had been fired on a “lofted trajectory,” a launch pattern that allows the missile to travel nearly vertically, reaching significant altitudes while remaining closer to its launch site. This kind of testing is typically done to refine technical insights, particularly on how long-range missiles handle the intense heat and pressure when re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, a crucial factor in determining whether North Korean missiles could accurately target locations as far away as the United States.

Early assessments by South Korean defense officials suggest that North Korea may have used a newly developed solid-fuel booster in this ICBM. Solid-fuel boosters enable quicker launches and are harder to detect and intercept than liquid-fuel alternatives, further enhancing the threat North Korea poses to its neighbors.

The threat of regional conflict

The test launch has amplified concerns across the region, with Japanese officials expressing alarm over Pyongyang’s willingness to continue refining its weapons technology despite international opposition. North Korea’s advancements in missile technology have drawn condemnation from the United States, Japan, and South Korea, with recent escalations seen as Pyongyang’s way of projecting strength amid ongoing global tensions.

The test launch has amplified concerns across the region, with Japanese officials expressing alarm over Pyongyang’s willingness to continue refining its weapons technology despite international opposition.

North Korea’s advancements in missile technology have drawn condemnation from the United States, Japan, and South Korea, with recent escalations seen as Pyongyang’s way of projecting strength amid ongoing global tensions.

As North Korea continues its missile tests, South Korea, Japan, and the United States are closely monitoring the developments. Diplomatic efforts to curb North Korea’s weapons program have stalled, leaving the region on edge as Pyongyang’s military capabilities continue to grow.