Washington —
North Korea’s launch of a Hwasong-18 this week shows it may soon have a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile that can target any part of the United States, analysts say.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday’s test "of the most powerful ICBM" demonstrated the reliability of the country’s nuclear strategic force. He added that Pyongyang will not hesitate to strike back if provoked, the state-run KCNA reported Thursday.
On Wednesday, U.S. B-1B and South Korean and Japanese fighter jets conducted joint aerial drills off the South Korean island of Jeju in what South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff described as a show of force in response to the ICBM test.
Monday’s ICBM launch followed a test of a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) the previous day, making this the third consecutive year to end with North Korean missile tests.
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