"South Korea and U.S. Conclude North Korea's ICBM Is Existing 'Hwasong-15' Model, Not New Version"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] It is reported that South Korea and the United States recently concluded that the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched by North Korea was not a new model but the existing 'Hwasong-15'.

According to multiple military and government sources on the 27th, South Korea and the United States concluded on the 24th that the ICBM launched from Pyongyang Sunan Airport by North Korea was not the Hwasong-17 after a detailed analysis.

In particular, by synthesizing information obtained from various intelligence collection assets such as satellites equipped with infrared heat sensors, it was confirmed that the engine nozzles of the ICBM launched at that time were two, identical to the Hwasong-15. The Hwasong-17 has four engine nozzles.

The burn time of the first-stage engine was also reported to be almost the same as that of the Hwasong-15.

The ICBM launched this time at a higher angle than normal had a trajectory similar to the Hwasong-15, which was last launched 4 years and 4 months ago, but it reached a higher altitude and had a longer range.

Theoretically calculating the detected parameters, it was evaluated that if launched at a normal angle, the range would reach 15,000 km, making it the most powerful North Korean ICBM to date.

However, based on the analysis of the missile's burn time at the time, military authorities believe that North Korea reduced the warhead weight of the Hwasong-15 and launched it to simulate a trajectory similar to the Hwasong-17.

North Korea has heavily publicized the successful test launch of the new ICBM, Hwasong-17, but according to the South Korea-US assessment, it means that they launched the Hwasong-15 and packaged it as a success of the Hwasong-17.

In fact, South Korea and the United States also judge that the launch scenes in the photos and videos released by North Korea through Korean Central TV were 'edited' by splicing previously recorded footage, such as the early launch scenes just before the Hwasong-17 exploded in mid-air on the 16th.

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