According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency today (19th), North Korea conducted a "Hwasong-18" ICBM launch training on the 18th. Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, observed the missile launch on the spot. According to the report, the missile rose at an altitude of 6,518.2 kilometers, flew at a distance of 1,002.3 kilometers, and flew in 4,415 seconds. Kim Jong-un said the launch "sent a clear message to hostile forces."
Source: KCNA
Source: KCNA
It is reported that this is the third time this year that North Korea has test-fired a solid-fuel "Hwasong-18" type intercontinental ballistic missile, the first two in April and July. It is worth noting that North Korea used the term "test launch" in its announcement in July, and this time it uses the term "launch training". Based on this, some viewpoints speculate that the actual combat deployment of the "Hwasong-18" intercontinental missile is imminent.
Kim Jong-un reportedly expressed great satisfaction with the launch, calling the results of the training a practical demonstration of the status quo and credibility of the formidable attack and absolute nuclear deterrent capabilities. Kim Jong Un said that the vicious ambitions of US imperialism and its followers will not automatically weaken, and we must not sit idly by and watch the enemy's reckless military threats that shake the foundation of peace and security in the peninsula region. On the same day, Kim Jong-un also put forward several major tasks for speeding up the consolidation and development of nuclear strategic forces.
The report also made it clear that the launch was aimed at the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting held by South Korea and the United States on the 15th, and agreed to carry out nuclear warfare drills in joint military exercises in August next year. According to the report, in the face of the severe regional situation, the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea ordered a tough warning response. The report characterized the South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group meeting as "nuclear war planning negotiations" and said that its large-scale joint military exercises were a blatant attempt to carry out a "retaliatory nuclear strike" against the republic.
In addition, the direct news also noticed that Kim Jong-un's daughter also appeared at the missile launch site. She has previously appeared at North Korea's missile launch sites several times to observe them.
Source: KCNA
Source: KCNA
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Ministry of Defense said on the 19th that the military of South Korea, the United States and Japan officially launched the "North Korean missile warning information real-time sharing system" on the same day to achieve real-time sharing and coordinated response to North Korea's missile launch intelligence.
Prior to this, the heads of state of South Korea, the United States and Japan reached an agreement at the Camp David summit in August this year to launch the system by the end of the year to more effectively respond to the nuclear and missile threat from North Korea. At a video conference between the defense ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan last month, the three sides conducted a final verification of the system.
According to the report, the information shared through the system mainly includes the estimated launch point, flight trajectory and expected landing location of North Korean missiles, but does not include precursor information such as signs before the launch of the missile, as well as information such as the types and locations of assets detected and tracked by the South Korean side.
South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-ho said that in the past, it was limited to sharing maritime detection tools, but now all missile intelligence detection means, including the ground, can be shared around the clock, so as to obtain more adequate response time.
In addition, South Korea, the United States and Japan have formulated a trilateral long-term training plan that will be implemented from next year to jointly conduct more systematic and efficient training on a regular basis.
Source丨KCNA, Yonhap News Agency
Editor丨Lai Chenlu, editor-in-chief of Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News
Typesetting丨Dong Yi, Shenzhen Satellite TV direct news editor