Japan Defense Ministry: "North Korean Projectile Clearly ICBM-Class with 5500km Range"

Japan Coast Guard Announces "Some North Korean Projectiles Fell Near EEZ"

North Korea unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of targeting the U.S. mainland at the 75th anniversary military parade of the Workers' Party. According to footage reported by Korean Central TV, the new ICBM is longer and has a thicker diameter compared to the Hwasong-15 model. A transporter erector launcher (TEL) with 22 wheels carried the new ICBM. Photo by Korean Central TV [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Japanese government announced on the 24th that the projectile launched by North Korea on the afternoon of the 24th is of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) class and fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

According to NHK reports, the Japan Coast Guard announced around 2:38 PM that day that North Korea had launched an object suspected to be a ballistic missile. Then, at 4:06 PM, it announced that the object suspected to be a ballistic missile appeared to have fallen into the sea about 170 km west of Cape Tappi in Aomori Prefecture at 3:44 PM.

A Japanese Ministry of Defense official stated, "Considering the expected flight time, the object launched this time is estimated to be an ICBM with a range of over 5,500 km, and it appears to have been launched at a higher angle than usual."

If this North Korean projectile is confirmed to be ICBM-class, it would be the sixth launch following the one on the 5th of this month. The Japanese Ministry of Defense observed that the missile's maximum range exceeds 10,000 km and could reach the US mainland.

NHK, citing a Ministry of Defense official, reported that the ICBM-class missiles launched consecutively on the 27th of last month and the 5th of this month reached maximum altitudes of 600 km and 550 km respectively, with flight distances of 300 km each. It appears that the North Korean military suppressed altitude and distance to verify functions before conducting a maximum range launch test.