North Korea's ICBM development hits snag: spy agency
时间:2024-09-22 13:39:33 来源:玉林新闻
By Rachel Lee
North Korea is struggling to develop technologies needed for its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to re-enter the atmosphere, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The NIS said the North has conducted several missile engine tests over the past weeks, but it has yet to perfect an ICBM.
In other words, it has yet to demonstrate a reliable re-entry vehicle robust enough to resist the heat and pressure of penetrating the atmosphere, the NIS explained.
The spy agency shared this information during a meeting with members of the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee, Thursday.
The re-entry technology seems a major hurdle for the North in its quest to develop an operational ICBM, the NIS said.
Re-entry technology refers to the ability to construct a shroud that covers the missile's warhead strong enough to withstand the extreme heat and other challenges involved in re-entering Earth's atmosphere from space.
Pyongyang has gone two months without missile tests since Sept. 15 when it fired a missile over Japan.
The NIS said the pause in missile tests could have come from a series of international sanctions and more pressure on North Korea has taken a heavy toll on its economy.
Financial difficulties from frequent missile tests under North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un's regime could be another factor that stopped provocations, the agency said.
North Korea conducted two tests for the "Hwasong-14" ICBM, which the North claimed it had perfected the warhead re-entry technology necessary to bring a nuclear-armed missile back into the Earth's atmosphere.
There is also speculation that the rotational deployment of strategic U.S. military assets around the Korean Peninsula, which is in progress, could have stopped Pyongyang from carrying out more provocations.
However, the intelligence agency said it is keeping a close eye on North Korea that could launch missile test anytime.
In September, the NIS forecast that the North could launch missile tests around key national events such as its regime foundation day on Sept. 9 or the anniversary of its ruling party's foundation on Oct. 10. Such predictions turned out to be wrong.
The U.S. government has not made any official comments about the pause in tests.
Jonathan Pollack, an analyst at Washington-based think tank, Brookings Institution, told USA Today that any answer is speculative.
"The reasons could be technical. The reasons could be political," Pollack said.
Pollack added that Kim may have "cooled the tests to see the reaction from President Donald Trump," who has repeatedly threatened to annihilate North Korea if it strikes first.
North Korea has traditionally fired fewer missiles in the last three months of the year, Tom Karako, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the newspaper.
"We don't know why that is," Karako said.
North Korea is struggling to develop technologies needed for its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to re-enter the atmosphere, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The NIS said the North has conducted several missile engine tests over the past weeks, but it has yet to perfect an ICBM.
In other words, it has yet to demonstrate a reliable re-entry vehicle robust enough to resist the heat and pressure of penetrating the atmosphere, the NIS explained.
The spy agency shared this information during a meeting with members of the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee, Thursday.
The re-entry technology seems a major hurdle for the North in its quest to develop an operational ICBM, the NIS said.
Re-entry technology refers to the ability to construct a shroud that covers the missile's warhead strong enough to withstand the extreme heat and other challenges involved in re-entering Earth's atmosphere from space.
Pyongyang has gone two months without missile tests since Sept. 15 when it fired a missile over Japan.
The NIS said the pause in missile tests could have come from a series of international sanctions and more pressure on North Korea has taken a heavy toll on its economy.
Financial difficulties from frequent missile tests under North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un's regime could be another factor that stopped provocations, the agency said.
North Korea conducted two tests for the "Hwasong-14" ICBM, which the North claimed it had perfected the warhead re-entry technology necessary to bring a nuclear-armed missile back into the Earth's atmosphere.
There is also speculation that the rotational deployment of strategic U.S. military assets around the Korean Peninsula, which is in progress, could have stopped Pyongyang from carrying out more provocations.
However, the intelligence agency said it is keeping a close eye on North Korea that could launch missile test anytime.
In September, the NIS forecast that the North could launch missile tests around key national events such as its regime foundation day on Sept. 9 or the anniversary of its ruling party's foundation on Oct. 10. Such predictions turned out to be wrong.
The U.S. government has not made any official comments about the pause in tests.
Jonathan Pollack, an analyst at Washington-based think tank, Brookings Institution, told USA Today that any answer is speculative.
"The reasons could be technical. The reasons could be political," Pollack said.
Pollack added that Kim may have "cooled the tests to see the reaction from President Donald Trump," who has repeatedly threatened to annihilate North Korea if it strikes first.
North Korea has traditionally fired fewer missiles in the last three months of the year, Tom Karako, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the newspaper.
"We don't know why that is," Karako said.
-
Google Gemini now allows AIOver 40 countries condemn Pyongyang国庆假期即将来临 6条精品旅游线路让你畅游雅安Why do some people always get lost?[Herald Review] Tori Kelly thrills fans, hints her love for Korean artists‘Peaceful’ bonobos bite and push each other, actually11 Haunted Bridges That You'll Just Have to Cross When You Get to ThemA real Holodeck? Scientists recreate Star Trek technology with ChatGPTDOJ accuses TikTok of collecting and sharing users' personal views, as the app fights a banHow to delete your Tinder account
上一篇:Best smart home deals this week
下一篇:Newborns hit new low, but births to those unmarried reach record high: data
下一篇:Newborns hit new low, but births to those unmarried reach record high: data
相关内容
- ·Weather update for second Pak vs Ban second Test match day one
- ·7 Free Apps to Install on a New Windows PC
- ·A real Holodeck? Scientists recreate Star Trek technology with ChatGPT
- ·11 Haunted Bridges That You'll Just Have to Cross When You Get to Them
- ·3D Game Rendering 101
- ·Twitch will roll out its TikTok
- ·构建亲清政商关系 打造“四个一流”营商环境
- ·Best travel deal: A $500 gift card to Southwest Airlines is just $449.99 at Costco
- ·U.S. Senators call on FTC to investigate the security of drivers' data
- ·China threat rising? US
- ·The history
- ·Norris beats Verstappen to go fastest in Australian practice
- ·Listeners encouraged to go wild with Le Sserafim's 4th EP
- ·8 Ghost Towns to Visit for Food and Spirits
- ·Big blow for Intel, AMD: China tells telecom firms to phase out foreign chips
- ·Texas startup unveils marine drones for Pentagon program
最新内容
- ·Tesla issues recall for 9,100 Model X cars
- ·Google Pixel 9 is rumored to steal this iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 feature
- ·China's advanced quantum computer fortifies defenses against attacks
- ·Voltpost lets lampposts to be retrofitted with EV chargers in minutes
- ·Families of S. Korean detainees in NK appeal to embassies for support
- ·Solar sail breakthrough: Future NASA spacecraft could be powered by Sun
- ·Voltpost lets lampposts to be retrofitted with EV chargers in minutes
- ·我市2023年度城乡居民基本医疗保险费开始缴纳
- ·3D Game Rendering 101
- ·How to watch 'The Jinx: Part Two': Release date and streaming deals
推荐内容
热点内容
- ·Cicadas love to land on people. Experts explain why.
- ·How to screen record on an iPhone
- ·NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 13
- ·Astronomers discover cyclones ravage this exoplanet
- ·Google Gemini now allows AI
- ·我市2023年度城乡居民基本医疗保险费开始缴纳
- ·Best Fire tablet deal: Get the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet for just $99.99 at Amazon
- ·Zoom unveils all
- ·Best tablet deals as of August 27
- ·Best travel deal: A $500 gift card to Southwest Airlines is just $449.99 at Costco