North Korea Has 'More in Store' Post 'Monster Missile' Test, Says Worried US

After North Korea's recent missile launch, US is worried that North Korea has "more in store".

US says North Korea has 'more in store' after its missile launch on 24 March 2022.

Photo: PTI

North Korea successfully launched its largest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile on 24 March at Pyongyang. Following this, US said that Kim Jong-un likely has "more in store" after this missile launch.

As Washington called for tougher international sanctions at the UN Security Council on 25 March, the White House raised a warning about North Korea's weapons.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters travelling onboard Air Force One with President Joe Biden that they see this as a pattern of testing and provocation from North Korea as they think there is likely more in store.

This launch was the first time Pyongyang has fired the most powerful missiles at full range since 2017. North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported that this was conducted under Kim's "direct guidance" to ensure his country is ready for "long-standing confrontation" with the United States.

US Reacts at UNSC Meet

At the UN Security Council on 25 March, the United States called for a "resolution to update and strengthen the sanctions regime" against Pyongyang. They referred to North's recent launches as "increasingly dangerous provocations."

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, "The move would follow up on sanctions implemented after the North's last test when the council promised further measures in the event of future launches."

She further added that now is the time to take that action.

The Group of Seven nations and the EU called the latest launch as a "blatant violation" of the country's obligations under UN Security Council resolutions in a joint statement and condemned the country's "reckless actions".

More About the Monster Missile

The giant ICBM called Hwasong-17 was first unveiled in October 2020 and was dubbed a "monster missile" by analysts. It has travelled higher and further than any previous ICBM tested by the nuclear-armed country.

The launch prompted immediate outrage from Pyongyang's neighbours and the United States as it had never previously been successfully test-fired.

KCNA said, "The missile, launched at Pyongyang International Airport, travelled up to a maximum altitude of 6,248.5 km and flew a distance of 1,090 km for 4,052s before accurately hitting the pre-set area in open waters in the Sea of Japan."

The missile landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone which evoked anger from Tokyo. However, the KCNA clarified that the test had been carried out "in a vertical launch mode" to ease neighbours' security concerns.

North Korea Made 'Important Progress'

US-based analyst Ankit Panda said that this test launch signified that North Korea has made an "important qualitative progress" on its banned weapons programmes.

Panda told AFP, "What's important about this ICBM is not how far it can go, but what it can potentially carry, which is multiple warheads, North Korea has long coveted."

North Korea had carried out three ICBM tests prior to 25 March, the last being the Hwasong-15 in 2017.

In 2019 when Kim and then US president Donald Trump had engaged in a bout of diplomacy, long-range and nuclear tests were paused. But this new launch marks a return to long-range testing.

The Compensation

Soo Kim, RAND Corporation Policy Analyst and former CIA analyst, told AFP that this test also appears to 'compensate' for last week's failed projectile launch of the Hwasong-17, which exploded after the launch.

She also added, "The regime appears quite pleased with the outcome of the test."

North Korea's new ICBM launch has taken place at a crucial time when South Korea is going through a presidential transition until May, and the US is distracted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

(With inputs from AFP and KCNA.)