Stock Market

South Korean lawmakers say the North may test an ICBM during the US presidential election By Reuters

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea has moved to the site of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and may decide to remove it during the U.S. presidential election, South Korean lawyers said, citing military intelligence.

The North may want to highlight its weapons development by attempting to launch a long-range missile or conduct a seventh nuclear test in time for the Nov. 5 election, South Korean officials said.

On Wednesday, Member of Parliament Lee Seong-kweun said a mobile launcher has been deployed in an area where ICBM and re-entry missile warheads can be tested, possibly during the November 5 election.

Lee was speaking to reporters after a parliamentary hearing with Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officials.

“Preparations for the transporter-erector launcher (TEL) have been completed and planted in a certain area and the launch of an ICBM to ensure the technology of re-entry of the warhead is possible, at the time targeted for the US presidential election, before or after, in November,” he said.

Another member of Parliament, Park Sun-won, said that the DIA did not believe that the missile had not been loaded into the launcher, although it may have been moved to the area.

North Korea has conducted a series of ICBM launch tests at a very high altitude to release projectiles within very short distances compared to the designed range, partly for security reasons and to avoid the political fallout of sending a missile far into the Pacific.

But launching a flatter, normal trajectory is considered essential in ICBM development to ensure the warhead is able to re-enter space while maintaining control to reach the target.




Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button