Assessments

People watch a television broadcast reporting the North Korean missile launch from the Seoul Railway Station in South Korea, on July 4.

Flight data indicates that Pyongyang test-fired an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, a milestone for the country in its attempt to secure a long-range delivery system capable of carrying a heavy payload, such as a miniaturized nuclear device.

North Korea Successfully Tests Its First ICBM

Highlights

United States

North Korea

South Korea

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

At 9:10 a.m. local time on July 4, North Korea launched a new ballistic missile, the Hwasong-14, from the Panghyon Airport in North Pyongan Province. The Hwasong-14 was tested at a lofted, or steep, trajectory. This flight path maximizes the altitude of the missile and reduces its distance traveled in order to avoid overflying neighboring regions and countries such as Japan. Pyongyang further claimed that the Hwasong-14 missile was an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile -- a statement that is thus far backed up by the available flight data.

ASSESSMENTS

North Korea Successfully Tests Its First ICBM

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