SEOUL - North Korea announced the test-firing of a new tactical ballistic missile, the Hwasong-11Da-4.5, which is reportedly capable of carrying a 4.5 ton-class super-large warhead, state media disclosed on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the missile was successfully launched on Monday, demonstrating its ability to carry a heavy payload over a range of distances. "The test-fire was conducted with a missile tipped with a simulated heavy warhead to verify flight stability and hit accuracy at the maximum range of 500 kilometers and the minimum range of 90 km," KCNA reported. Plans for a subsequent test in July aim to further assess the missile's capabilities over a medium range of 250 kilometers.
The launch coincides with reports from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), which observed two missile launches by North Korea on Monday. The first missile achieved a distance of about 600 kilometers before descending into the East Sea, while the second missile experienced abnormalities early in flight and traveled only 120 kilometers before disappearing from radar, possibly disintegrating midair.