North Korea Launches Longest-Flying ICBM

North Korea has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which flew for 86 minutes—the longest recorded flight to date—before landing in waters off its eastern coast, according to South Korea and Japan.

The missile was launched at a steep angle, reaching an altitude of 7,000 km (4,350 miles), suggesting it could have covered an even greater distance if fired horizontally.

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This launch, which violates UN restrictions, comes amid worsening relations between the two Koreas and increasing hostile rhetoric from Pyongyang toward Seoul. South Korea had previously warned that the North might conduct an ICBM test close to the U.S. presidential election on November 5.

Seoul’s defence ministry indicated that the test was aimed at developing weapons capable of reaching greater distances and heights.

In a rare same-day statement from state media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un asserted that the launch demonstrated “our will to respond to our enemies” and characterized it as “appropriate military action.” He reiterated that North Korea would remain committed to strengthening its nuclear capabilities.

The U.S. condemned Thursday’s launch as a “flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.” Sean Savett, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council, stated that it highlighted North Korea’s prioritization of its illegal weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of its citizens.

In response to the launch, South Korea announced plans to impose additional sanctions on the North.

The last ICBM launched by North Korea occurred in December 2023, in defiance of enduring UN sanctions. That missile flew for 73 minutes and covered approximately 1,000 km.

Experts believe Thursday’s launch aimed to enhance the missiles’ payload capabilities. Kim Dong-yup, an assistant professor at the University of North Korean Studies, noted that Pyongyang is working on missiles that can strike the U.S. mainland, even with larger and heavier warheads or multiple warheads.

Japan confirmed it monitored the launch on Thursday.

Following the event, South Korean and U.S. officials convened and agreed to implement “strong and varied response measures,” according to a statement from South Korea’s military. They added that their military remains fully prepared, sharing ballistic information closely with U.S. and Japanese authorities.

This launch follows accusations from South Korea and the U.S. that North Korea has deployed troops to Russia to support Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. The Pentagon estimates that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to train in eastern Russia, with a “small number” reported in Kursk and thousands more on the way, according to U.S. officials earlier this week.

The alleged deployment of North Korean troops in Russia raises concerns about the growing ties between Kim and Putin, though both Pyongyang and Moscow have neither confirmed nor denied these allegations.

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