North Korea claims successful test of new missile carrying 'super-large warhead,' South has its doubts

North Korea

Published: 02 Jul. 2024, 17:27

North Korea claims successful test of new missile carrying 'super-large warhead,' South has its doubts

North Korea test-fires a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a new "autonomous" navigation system on May 17, in this photo released by the North's Korean Central News Agency the next day. [YONHAP]

North Korea announced Tuesday that it successfully test-fired a new missile the previous day carrying a "super-large warhead," while South Korean military authorities raised doubts, calling the claim a "lie."

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the Missile General Bureau conducted a test launch of the Hwasong-11Da-4.5 on Monday. The state-run media outlet claimed the missile could carry a 4.5-ton warhead.

According to the KCNA, the test involved a missile with a simulated heavy warhead to verify flight stability and accuracy at a maximum range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and a minimum range of 90 kilometers. This is the first time North Korea has claimed to test-fire a tactical ballistic missile with a super-large warhead. The state media added that the test results were reported to the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party.

The KCNA added that North Korea plans to conduct another missile test this month to "verify flight characteristics, hit accuracy, and explosion power of the super-large warhead at a medium range of 250 kilometers."

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the previous day that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles, with the possibility that the latest launch involved the Hwasong-11, also known as the KN-23. One missile flew about 600 kilometers before landing in the East Sea, while the other traveled only about 120 kilometers before it seemed to fail and fall into North Korea.

On Tuesday, South Korea's military stated that it is analyzing the situation, suspecting North Korea's claim of a successful test-fire of a new missile to be a "deception" and mere propaganda.

"It is extremely rare to conduct a test-launch inland, and its claim of success is likely a lie," said Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), in a regular briefing on Tuesday. Lee noted that the second missile flew abnormally and seemed to have landed in a field in an uninhabited area near Pyongyang.

North Korea's announcement of a new weapon system, which was described as a significant technical advancement, provided minimal details. The launch was revealed in a brief, six-sentence article without accompanying photographs. The information was published by the state-controlled KCNA, targeting a foreign audience, but there was no mention in the domestic Rodong Sinmun — suggesting an attempt to manage public reaction in case of launch failure.

North Koreans watch a news broadcast on a video screen outside Pyongyang Railway Station in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 6, 2016. [AP]

Meanwhile, the Unification Ministry said North Korea shifted from a Chinese to a Russian satellite for state TV broadcasts, posing new challenges for South Korean government agencies and media monitoring these transmissions. Analysts suggest this shift indicates strengthening North Korea-Russia cooperation amid signs of a cooling relationship between North Korea and China.

North Korea's Korean Central Television (KCTV) began broadcasting via the Russian Express 103 satellite on June 20, according to LyngSat, a global satellite TV and radio data information site. Consequently, since the early hours of July 1, North Korean broadcasts through the previously used China Sat 12 satellite have been inaccessible in South Korea.

South Korean government agencies and broadcasters have relied on real-time KCTV reception to monitor and report on North Korean affairs. In South Korea, only authorized organizations can view North Korean broadcasts, requiring access to satellite services. However, broadcasts via the Russian satellite are now experiencing reception issues, including poor video quality and audio disruptions due to frequency interference.

"North Korea has stopped using the Chinese satellite and is now broadcasting via a Russian satellite," a Unification Ministry official said Tuesday. "Domestic reception issues are presumed to be due to North Korea ceasing to use Chinese satellites.

"We are working with relevant agencies to overcome the technical limitations," the official added.

The switch to the Russian satellite might be in preparation for the end of China Sat 12's operational life, which was launched in 2012 with a lifespan of 15 years. Considering the recent closer ties between North Korea and Russia, this move could signify Pyongyang's intention to strengthen cooperation with Moscow.

BY LEE KEUN-PYUNG, SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr[