North Korea's Kim hails this week's SLBM test as 'greatest success'

By Park Sae-jin Posted : August 25, 2016, 09:24 Updated : August 25, 2016, 09:24

[Yonhap Photo]


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hailed this week's launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile as "the greatest success and victory", saying the nuclear-armed country is now fully capable of launching a nuclear attack, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday.

The missile was launched Wednesday "under a high-angle fire system" using solid fuel and demonstrated the reliability and accuracy of North Korean ballistic missiles, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
 

[Yonhap Photo]


"The SLBM test launch was the greatest success and victory," Kim was quoted as saying. "The results of today's ballistic missile test showed that (North Korea) has really joined the front rank of military powers fully capable of launching a nuclear attack."

Kim urged his country to step up the development of nuclear weapons and carriers in preparation for "a nuclear war" with the United States.

The missile was launched from North Korea's sole GORAE-class experimental ballistic missile submarine, analyst Joseph S. Bermudez said in a report carried by 38 North, the website of a US research institute.

"The North is demonstrating a nascent capability to strike at South Korea with an SLBM, thereby complicating ballistic missile defense planning and operations," he said.

"While North Korea still faces significant technological challenges including building a new class of submarine to carry the missile, it is on track to develop the capability to strike targets in the region, including Japan, by 2020," said Bermudez.
 

[Yonhap Photo]


The SLBM, launched near North Korea's submarine base in Sinpo, flew about 500 kilometers (310 miles) and fell 80 kilometers into Japan's air defense identification zone, according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

It was North Korea's sixth SLBM launch since May 2015 and the third this year. Last December, Pyongyang said it has successfully conducted an SLBM "ejection" test, but US and South Korea experts said it was a failed test.

Military officials in Seoul expressed doubt about two previous SLBM launches in April and July. However, they are now serious about North Korea's advancement in SLBM technologies saying the North's SLBM was capable of traveling more than 1,000 kilometers.

Experts in Seoul said North Korean SLBMs would pose a grave security threat to South Korea which has struggled to introduce an advanced missile shield to intercept North Korean missiles.

Aju New Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
 
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