[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Core ICBM Technologies North Korea Has Not Secured

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] As South Korea and the United States assess that North Korea has conducted a performance test of its new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-17, attention is focusing on North Korea's new ICBM technology. In particular, while military authorities have analyzed that North Korea has not yet fully secured the atmospheric re-entry technology for the warhead, which is the core of the ICBM, some quarters also evaluate the technological maturity as high.

On the 11th, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, inspected the West Sea Satellite Launching Station, a major facility for ICBM technology development, and ordered the modernization of the launch site to enable the launch of rockets carrying satellites.

Kim Jong-un's order to modernize the launch site implies preparation for additional launches. Military authorities also predict that North Korea will conduct additional launches because a 'live-fire test' to evaluate the atmospheric re-entry technology has not yet been carried out.

To complete the ICBM, North Korea must secure the miniaturization of the nuclear warhead followed by the acquisition of atmospheric re-entry vehicle (RV) technology.

There are differing views on whether North Korea has secured the re-entry vehicle technology (including warhead protection technology) that prevents the warhead from exploding despite the extreme heat of 6000 to 7000 degrees Celsius generated during missile re-entry into the atmosphere. Re-entry vehicle technology refers to the production technology of the fairing. This technology is only secured by a few nuclear-armed countries such as the United States, China, Russia, and India.

The fairing's outer material is primarily carbon fiber. It is a material made by compressing charcoal at high strength, with strength comparable to diamond. Warheads that have this material and technology stably applied are conical in shape. The conical warhead reduces frictional heat during atmospheric re-entry and ensures that the warhead falls accurately at the target point in a consistent direction. The special materials required to make re-entry vehicles are designated as prohibited items that North Korea cannot import. It is presumed that North Korea has secretly imported these materials and technologies through third countries.

Even if North Korea has secured re-entry vehicle technology, military experts believe that it will take considerable time to acquire re-entry vehicle technology at the ICBM level, as the current technology is at the level of medium-range missiles such as Nodong and Musudan. For this reason, the military evaluates North Korea's claim of having secured ballistic missile re-entry vehicle technology as a kind of 'nuclear bluff' against international sanctions and South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.