Hwasong-18 - 2nd Flight - 12 July 2023
At around 9:59 a.m. 12 July 2023, North Korea launched an ICBM-class ballistic missile toward th e east from the suburbs of Pyongyang. Details were under analysis, but the ballist ic missile that was launched flew for about 74 minutes and reached the Sea of Japan (outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ)) about 250km west of Okushiri Island in Hokkaido at around 11:13, presumed to have falle n. It is estimated that the flight distance was 1,001 km and the maximum altitude is over about 6,648km.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un clapped in delight as the country successfully launched its newest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – the solid-fuel Hwasong-18 – state media images showed. Dressed in a white suit and flanked by his wife and key aides, Kim personally oversaw the second test of the ICBM on Wednesday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The launch was a “grand explosion” that shook “the whole planet”, KCNA said. Citing what he said was an “unstable situation” on the Korean peninsula, Kim also called for “more intense efforts” to boost North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.
At the ROK Prime Minister's Office, the Prime Minister's Office for the North Korean Situation, which was established in the Prime Minister's Office Crisis Management Center, gathered information from relevant ministries and agencies, convened an emergency gathering team, and discussed responses. In addition, the National Security Council was held, and discussions were held on gathering information and responding.
North Korea confirmed 13 July 2023 that it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day observed by its leader Kim Jong-un. Experts say the missile appears to have the required range to potentially hit the U.S. and beyond. The North's state-run news agency, the KCNA on Thursday reported, that the ICBM flew around 1-thousand kilometers,.. for more than 74 minutes, at an altitude of over 6-thousand 6-hundred kilometers, before landing in the East Sea.
It was the regime's second launch of the Hwasong-18,.. after its first test launch in April. "The first launch was to test the flight performance and separation process at a lower altitude. The second launch, however, tested not only the separation and flight performance but also the maximum performance of the engine at a much higher altitude."
With the current engine performance, the missile could also, potentially, hit anywhere in the world. "When fired at the right angle, it can fly more than 15 to 16-thousand kilometers, so it has the required range to hit not only the U.S. but the entire world. The weapon is very dangerous in that sense."
The launch came as North Korea accused the U.S. of plotting to use nuclear weapons against the regime under the Washington Declaration, which includes enhanced deployment of U.S. strategic assets in South Korea.
According to North Korean media, Kim had vowed to take a series of stronger military offensive actions, until the U.S. and South Korea admit and give up their hostile policy against the regime. Pyongyang also noted that the launch came "at a grave period" when the security situation on the Korean Peninsula has reached a "phase of nuclear crisis beyond the Cold War era". The launch came a day after North Korea threatened to take military action against the U.S. for allegedly intruding on its airspace.
Professor Yang Moo-jin, at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, interpreted the launch as a message of warning against the deployment of a U.S. nuclear ballistic submarine in South Korea. This comes as North Korea on Thursday also accused the U.S. of plotting to use nuclear weapons against the regime under the Washington Declaration, which includes enhanced deployment of U.S. strategic assets in South Korea.
Experts also say the launch was the regime's attempt to make up for the failed launch of its spy satellite, and to display its advancing missile technology prior to a widely anticipated large-scale military parade later this month.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, said the launch last week of an intercontinental ballistic missile was just the beginning of the country's military offensive. Kim issued a statement through the state-run Korean Central News Agency on 17 July 2023. This appeared to be in response to recent remarks by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He said in an interview that aired on 16 July 2023 that the US is ready for diplomacy, but that North Korea is not.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaking on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday, said while there is no indication yet, it would not be a surprise if the North conducts another ICBM test. Sullivan added that Washington has been concerned for "some time" that North Korea would conduct what would be its seventh nuclear test. He said that the U.S. will continue to closely coordinate with South Korea and other allies on the matter.
Kim's remarks, however, suggested that Pyongyang is not ready to sit down with Washington. She said it's a "daydream" for the US to think that it can "achieve irreversible disarmament" through such measures as a temporary halt to joint military exercises and relieving sanctions. North Korea is set to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Korean War Armistice on July 27. Pyongyang sees it as a day to celebrate what it calls its victory over the US.
Kim Yo-jong said that the U.S. efforts to strengthen its extended deterrence and military commitment to South Korea will make it impossible for North Korea to denuclearize. This comes just a day before South Korea and the U.S. are slated to hold the first meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group at the Yongsan presidential office. The meeting, first announced at the bilateral summit in Washington in April, will discuss consultation and information sharing that will strengthen nuclear deterrence against Pyongyang.
Indonesia released a Chairman's Statement of the ASEAN Regional Forum, or ARF. The statement expressed concerns about North Korea's repeated launches of ICBMs and other missiles. on 14 July 2023, representatives from more than 20 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan and China, took part in the ARF. North Korea's Ambassador to Indonesia was among them. The statement described the recent surge in Pyongyang's ballistic missile launches and the resulting tensions as a worrisome development. It also said the firings threaten peace and stability in the region. The statement noted all concerned parties were urged to resume dialogue. It also called on them to continue working to bring about peace and stability on a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. The statement acknowledged "different views were expressed on the root causes of the tensions." But it emphasized creating a conducive environment for dialogue is a priority.
