North Korea unveils ‘most powerful’ nuclear-capable missile

North Korea has unveiled its most advanced and what it calls its ‘most powerful’ intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-20. The missile was displayed in the presence of the country’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un at a military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party, the country’s state news agency KCNA reported, citing Al Jazeera.

While the parade on Friday (October 10) featured a number of sophisticated weapons, including North Korea’s long-range strategic cruise missiles and drone launch vehicles, the Hwasong-20 ICBM was the most important. KCNA claims that it is the country’s military’s ‘most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system’.

The Hwasong-20, mounted on a massive 11-axle launcher truck, was shown to the public for the first time. A few weeks ago, North Korea announced the test of a new solid-fuel rocket engine made of carbon fiber. The engine is claimed to be designed for use in a new generation of ICBMs. KCNA said the engine is capable of producing 1971 kilonewtons of thrust, which is more powerful than any previous North Korean rocket engine.

“The Hwasong-20 is a symbol of the pinnacle of North Korea’s long-range nuclear strike capability. It could be test-fired before the end of this year,” said Ankit Pandey, an analyst at the US think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Experts believe the Hwasong-20 could be capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, which would pose a major challenge to the US missile defense system.

“This missile is probably designed to carry multiple warheads,” said Ankit Pandey, an analyst at the US think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It can disrupt the existing US missile defense system and is, in Kim Jong Un’s eyes, an effective deterrent.’

In a speech after the parade, Kim Jong Un said, ‘Today we stand before the world as a nation of invincible strength. There is no obstacle that we cannot overcome.’ He called North Korea a “faithful member of the socialist power” and a “bulwark of freedom against Western hegemony.”