[3rd Report] North Korea Likely Fired ICBM at High Angle... Military Analyzing

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile, presumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), into the East Sea. This marks the 12th show of force this year, raising the possibility that it was a test launch of the new ICBM, the 'Hwasong-17'.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 24th, the missile launched in the afternoon from Pyongyang Sunan Airport toward the East Sea is estimated to have been fired at a high angle, higher than the normal trajectory.

North Korea previously launched ballistic missiles on the 27th of last month and the 5th of this month, which South Korea and the U.S. assessed as ICBM performance tests. On the 16th, they also fired a missile presumed to be the same type, but it exploded in the early flight phase, resulting in a failed launch.

Accordingly, the launch on this day is considered likely to have been conducted to compensate for the previous failed launch and to conduct an additional performance test of the new ICBM.

This launch occurred just four days after the firing of four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), referred to as "bangsap'o" in North Korean terminology, from Sukchon, South Pyongan Province, toward the West Sea on the morning of the 20th. At that time, the rockets were estimated to be 240mm MLRS and were not ballistic missiles.

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