This week, North Korea’s weapon test sparked tension with South Korea. North Korea claimed to have fired a new advanced missile with multiple warheads, but South Korea accused them of lying. North Korean media praised the “success” of the test, but South Korea called it “deception” and provided their own evidence of the test’s failure. Analysts are unsure about the truth of North Korea’s claims. This situation highlights how hard it is to verify North Korea’s weapons progress despite heavy international sanctions.
If North Korea’s claims are true, it would be a big step forward in their missile program. Missiles with multiple warheads are hard to defend against and tough to make. Only a few countries, like the US, UK, France, Russia, and China, currently have this technology. North Korea says they are close to achieving it too.
Experts have long thought North Korea might develop MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle) technology, where one missile carries several warheads that can hit different targets. North Korea said they tested this successfully, with a missile carrying three warheads and a decoy, all hitting their targets. However, South Korea said the missile exploded mid-flight and showed a video of the test going wrong. They also claimed North Korea’s photos were from a different test in March.
Some analysts think parts of the test might have worked, but there’s no clear proof the warheads hit their targets. The missile’s range was short, and it didn’t leave Earth’s atmosphere, so it wasn’t tested for re-entry conditions. A video taken by a South Korean civilian showed the missile’s contrail, but experts say it’s unclear if the test fully succeeded.
Even if the test wasn’t perfect, North Korea likely gained valuable data, moving them closer to developing MIRV capabilities. This type of missile is useful because it can hit multiple targets, which is important if their missile arsenal is low after an enemy’s first strike. Though North Korea is still a few years away from completing this technology, the test’s timing, just before a major meeting of North Korean officials, might have been to showcase their military’s progress and signal defiance to their enemies.
The US, Japan, and South Korea condemned the test, but the US hasn’t said much more. Some believe the US, with its advanced resources, should provide more insight into North Korea’s weapons tests.
Credit to BBC as the source.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cxx2g3524p2o