North Korea has confirmed the firing of Hwasong-12, a mid-range ballistic missile, according to the state media reports, on Monday. This is the first time ever the nation has tested a weapon that powerful since 2017. As per the reports, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un did not attend the seventh test conducted by the nation in the first month of 2022.
South Korea’s military reported that it had detected the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile, Pyongyang’s 7th weapons’ test, on Sunday. This is the first time ever that North Korea has test-fired this many missiles in a single calendar month. Last week, the nation also threatened to abandon a nearly 5-year long self-imposed moratorium on the testing of long-range and nuclear weapons and blamed the policy of the United States hostile policy for forcing its hand.
The official Korean Central News Agency stated that the evaluation test-fire of Hwasong-12 type ground-to ground intermediate and long-range ballistic missile (IRBM) was conducted on Sunday. As per the KCNA, the test has confirmed the accuracy, security and effectiveness of the operation of the Hwasong-12 type weapon system which is under production. The report further added that the test was carried out using the highest-angle launch system to ensure the safety of the neighbouring nations. It also said that the warhead carried a camera that took some pictures while it was in space.
According to the news reports, the Hwsong-12 is capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead. The pictures that were released by the state media showed some space-based images of North Korea and its neighbouring countries through round camera lenses. Photos of this kind were released by North Korea in 2017 for the first time.
As the peace talks with the United States had already stalled, the nation has doubled down on its leader’s vow to modernise the regime’s armed forces. Through these tests, North Korea’s military muscles are being flexed despite being international sanctions on the testings of these warheads. The last time, Kim Jong Un led North Korea tested an intermediate-range missile was tested was in 2017 when it tested Hwasong-12, and the analysts at that time stated that it was powerful enough to put the United States territory of Guam in range.
These launches in 2022 have come at a delicate time in the region, with the nation’s only ally China is all set to host the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month and its neighbor, South Korea gearing up for a presidential election in March this year.
