According to the Korean Central News Agency, on 18 December, a "Hwasong-18" intercontinental ballistic missile was launched with the aim of deterring the enemy and safeguarding its own security. Kim Jong-un, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, went to the scene to observe the launch training of the ICBM unit.
This time, the intercontinental missile launched by the DPRK rose at an altitude of more than 6,500 kilometers and flew more than 1,000 kilometers and landed in the waters east of the DPRK. Kim Jong-un expressed satisfaction with the results of the launch drill, saying that the training demonstrated the strong deterrent power of the North Korean armed forces in nuclear war.
Kim Jong-un noted that the launch of the missile once again sends a clear message to Washington that if they make the wrong decision, North Korea will be quickly prepared, and that North Korea has an unwavering super will and absolute strength to respond. In addition, Kim Jong-un said that the incorrigible confrontational ambitions of the US imperialists and the servant forces will never be naturally curtailed, that we should not sit idly by and ignore the enemy's military threats, and that if the enemy insists on going his own way, we will resolutely respond to them.
By launching an intercontinental missile, North Korea is telling the United States not to act rashly and that North Korea has the strength to resist US hegemony. Earlier, a spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of Defense said that in the event of the use of nuclear weapons by hostile forces, there will be a preemptive and devastating response, and the DPRK army will resolutely crush any provocation by the United States and its servant forces.
The DPRK's successive statements show that the DPRK is very determined to resist hegemony and that the DPRK is ready for a showdown with the United States and South Korea. Russian military expert Alexei Leonkov said that North Korea's launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles is aimed at the ability to strike first against the United States, and the United States tries not to provoke North Korea.
Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara believes that the intercontinental missile launched by the DPRK has a range of about 15,000 kilometers and can cover the entire territory of the United States. Previously, North Korea launched satellites to photograph local targets such as the Pentagon, which gave eyes to North Korea's intercontinental missiles, in other words, North Korean missiles are more accurate and effective in attacking targets.
Since the beginning of this year, the United States has repeatedly dispatched strategic bombers, nuclear-powered submarines, and aircraft carriers into the peninsula to continuously provoke the DPRK, and the DPRK has repeatedly launched missiles in response. The United States tried to force North Korea to take the lead by exerting maximum pressure, and North Korea was not to be outdone and demonstrated its strong strategic counterattack capability. At the second meeting of the US-ROK "Nuclear Consultative Group" not long ago, the United States and the ROK announced that they would conduct nuclear combat drills during the US-ROK joint military exercise in August next year. This is another strategic deterrence against North Korea.
Although North Korea's missiles may be intercepted by the United States, it is still certain that it will attack American bases in South Korea, as well as Japan and South Korea. Once the DPRK strikes first, there will be chaos on the peninsula and China's strategic security will be affected. To this end, China has spoken out in a timely manner. On December 18, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that trying to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue through military deterrence and pressure would not work, but would only backfire, further exacerbate tensions, and promote tensions. China hopes that all parties concerned will take concrete actions to promote the political settlement process of the Korean Peninsula issue and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The peninsula must not be chaotic, it has a bearing on the peaceful development of the mainland, and China will not allow the United States, Japan, and South Korea to run rampant and make trouble!