State press reports N-Korea firing projectiles with greatly-enormous warheads
(MENAFN) North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that the country had conducted a test of a ballistic missile equipped with a heavy warhead. However, South Korean officials have presented a different narrative, suggesting that Pyongyang launched two projectiles, with indications that one of them may have encountered difficulties during flight.
According to KCNA, North Korea's rocket agency successfully tested a new tactical ballistic missile known as the Hwasongpho-11Da-4.5 on Monday. The missile is purportedly capable of carrying a "4.5 ton-class super-large warhead." The test aimed to assess the missile's flight stability and accuracy, covering distances from 90 km to 500 km. The exact location of the launch was not disclosed in the report.
Further details provided by KCNA indicated plans for additional test-firings of the same missile type later in the month. These tests are intended to verify the missile's performance characteristics, accuracy, and the explosive capabilities of its large warhead over a medium range of 250 km.
In contrast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) offered an alternative account of the events. The JCS stated that North Korea had launched two missiles, with approximately ten minutes between each launch. The first missile reportedly traveled a distance of 600 km, while the second projectile managed only 120 km before encountering potential issues.
Lee Sung-jun, a spokesman for the JCS, highlighted the possibility that the second missile experienced an abnormal flight during its early stages, suggesting a potential explosion that could have led to debris falling inland. However, Lee emphasized that this remains a theory and that further analysis and assessment are ongoing to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the launch.
The differing accounts between North Korean and South Korean reports underscore the complexities and uncertainties surrounding military activities on the Korean Peninsula. The incident has raised concerns among regional stakeholders and international observers, highlighting the ongoing challenges in monitoring and interpreting North Korea's missile capabilities and intentions.
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