The power of North Korea’s Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the Hwasong-17 flew for 67.5 minutes; reaching a range of 1,090 km and a maximum altitude of 6,248 km.

Reuters news agency (UK) assessed the test launch on March 24 obtained higher results than North Korea’s last ICBM launch in 2017. At that time, the Hwasong-15 missile flew for 53 minutes, reaching a high altitude. 4,475 km and range 950 km.

Based on images released by North Korean media, the Hwasong-17 was launched directly from a transport, erect and launch vehicle (TEL). The KCNA stated that the March 24 launch achieved the technical goals and proved that it is possible to operate the Hwasong-17 quickly in a war scenario.

Analysts say that the Hwasong-17 is the largest land-based, liquid-fueled ICBM in the world.

According to 38 North, the Hwasong-17 has a diameter of about 2.4-2.5 m and the total weight when fully refueled is 80,000-110,000 kg.

North Korea first revealed the Hwasong-17 at a military parade in October 2020. The second time the Hwasong-17 “launched” was at a defense exhibition in Pyongyang in October 2021.

The size of the Hwasong-17 makes analysts suspect that the missile is designed to carry multiple warheads.

North Korean state media reported that Chairman Kim Jong-un personally directed the test-fire of the Hwasong-17 and that the missile played a key role in preventing nuclear war.

Ankit Panda at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace called the Hwasong-17 launch on March 24 a “major milestone”. He said the Hwasong-17 is the largest missile in North Korea’s arsenal and can carry multiple warheads.

The United Nations (UN) along with the United States and South Korea have spoken out against North Korea’s ICBM launch. The US called this move a violation of a UN Security Council resolution. “The door to diplomacy has never been closed, but Pyongyang needs to immediately stop its destabilizing actions,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the March 24 launch “escalated tensions in the region”. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the launch of Hwasong-17 “violates Chairman Kim Jong-un’s commitment to the international community to suspend the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles”.

After the launch on March 24, KCNA quoted Chairman Kim Jong-un as saying that North Korea is preparing for a long confrontation with the US.

Under UN Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on North Korea, the country is banned from launching ballistic missiles. In April 2018, Pyongyang announced it would suspend testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons tests.

But recently, North Korea said it could restart all activities it had “frozen” to build trust with former US President Donald Trump and asked Washington to drop its “hostile policy”.