Seoul: N. Korea’s missile has not shown critical capabilities

This article is more than 12 months old

Dec 02, 2017 06:00 am

SEOUL North Korea's latest missile test places Washington within range, but it still needs to prove critical missile technology, such as re-entry, terminal stage guidance and warhead activation, Seoul said yesterday.

But South Korea said it expected Pyongyang to now pause its provocative missile testing programme due to a number of reasons, including the northern hemisphere winter season.

Pyongyang said its Wednesday test was a "breakthrough", and leader Kim Jong Un said the country had "finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force".

South Korea's Ministry of Defence said the Hwasong-15 missile was a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which can fly more than 13,000km.

South Korean President Moon Jae In on Thursday told US President Donald Trump that the new missile was North Korea's most advanced.

Deputy Minister of Defence Policy Yeo Suk Joo told lawmakers the first stage engine of the Hwasong-15 missile was a clustering of two engines from Hwasong-14 missiles, which were ICBMs test-launched in July this year. - REUTERS