Washington(WA)/Seoul: North Korea has continued to push aggressively towards developing long-range nuclear missiles capable of striking the US using a “quite wilful checking programme” for systems improvement, a Sr. Pentagon officer said.
Victorino G. Mercado, assistant secretary of defense for strategy, schedules & capabilities, made the remarks during this 2024 Space & Missile Defense Symposium conducted on-line on Tue. (Washington(WA) time), as per the transcript published on the Pentagon site on Thu..
“North Korea has performed aggressively to grow nuclear-capable long-range ballistic missiles able to threaten the homeland, allies & partners,”
Mercado
“In spite of our ongoing diplomatic measures, North Korea continues to expand its ballistic missile capabilities & carry out test starts in spite of Intl. constraints.”
The officer observed that awhile numerous frequently highlight its failed starts, the regime “has a quite wilful checking programmer where they push their own technological limits, learn from failures & show continual improvement”.
North Korea is believed to have multiple types of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), involving the Hwasong-15 that is capable of striking any part of the American mainland, as per statistics by this US Enforces Korea (USFK).
North Korea is believed to have secured a considerable level of technology to miniaturize a nuclear warhead for ballistic missiles, as per South Korea’s Defense Ministry.
Past month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated that the nation’s security & future going to be assured forever “gratitude to our dependable & efficient self-defence nuclear deterrence”.