Fireworks based on North Korea's 'monster ICBM' on sale at Pyongyang toy store
Published: 20 May. 2024, 13:58
Updated: 20 May. 2024, 19:11
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- LIM JEONG-WON
- [email protected]
![Fireworks modeled after North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-17 are on display at a toy store in Pyongyang in this footage carried by the state-run Korean Central Television on Sunday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/20/6e306d15-51a6-43eb-97ad-998ad3e0aee5.jpg)
Fireworks modeled after North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-17 are on display at a toy store in Pyongyang in this footage carried by the state-run Korean Central Television on Sunday. [YONHAP]
Fireworks modeled after North Korea's new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) "Hwasong-17" were seen at a store in Pyongyang.
This comes after Ri Sol-Ju, the wife of leader Kim Jong-un, was spotted wearing a necklace with a pendant in the shape of an ICBM.
North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television reported on Sunday that a toy store in Pyongyang was selling about 90,000 fireworks of 20 types, including one modeled after the Hwasong-17.
"We have prepared a variety of new types of fireworks, including the Hwasong model," a store employee said to Korean Central Television. "Among them, our children really like the dragonfly and flame top models."
The fireworks caught on Korean Central Television's report are shaped like a black, elongated missile, with the warhead painted in a black-and-white grid pattern like that of the Hwasong-17.
Previously, Ri, North Korean leader Kim's wife and first lady, also wore a necklace with a pendant in the shape of the ICBM during a banquet commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Army in February last year.
On Feb. 16 of last year, a larger number of artworks based on the Hwasong-17 ICBM appeared at an art exhibition commemorating the birthday of Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un's father.
More appeared at another art exhibition celebrating the birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.
![The Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is seen during a launch on May 17, 2023. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/20/1b9e7fd4-b5ac-475a-9792-2519b30ef857.jpg)
The Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is seen during a launch on May 17, 2023. [NEWS1]
The Hwasong-17 is often called a "monster ICBM" because its performance has been dramatically improved compared to the previously developed Hwasong-15. Fired at a normal angle, the Hwasong-17 has a range of up to 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), putting the entire continental United States within striking range.
North Korea launched Hwasong-17s in February, March, May and November of 2022, with the most recent launch on March 16 last year.
![Ri Sol-ju, wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is a wearing an ICBM pendant necklace during a banquet last year in a screen capture from state media. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/20/824362b9-3263-4a76-963f-98757caf120d.jpg)
Ri Sol-ju, wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is a wearing an ICBM pendant necklace during a banquet last year in a screen capture from state media. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
However, in March last year, Pyongyang released photographs of the Earth seen from space that appeared to have been taken by the Hwasong-17, claiming that the "reliability of the missile has been verified."
Pyongyang's bizarre behavior of producing and distributing products modeled on ICBMs, a weapon of mass destruction, is interpreted as a move to strengthen the ideological indoctrination of younger North Koreans.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG, LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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