North Korea may test-fire a modified intercontinental ballistic missile in the near future, which would be the first Time Pyongyang has tested a nuclear weapon since President Biden took office, said Glen D. VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Command, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday (16).
The North Korean government has successfully demonstrated intercontinental missile capabilities that could threaten the U.S. mainland in the past, and Pyongyang disclosed a new intercontinental missile last October that is estimated to be larger and more powerful than the Mars 14 and Mars 15 missiles tested by the North in 2017, further threatening the U.S. mainland, Van Hoek said. He noted that Pyongyang has indicated that it will no longer comply with the agreement reached in 2018 on nuclear tests and ICBMs, meaning that the North could test-fire an improved version of an ICBM in the near future.
U.S. defense officials said the military has noticed frequent vehicle activity at a missile launch site near Pyongyang, and several departments are discussing response options if North Korea conducts a test launch in the near future.
The announcement comes as the U.S. and South Korea conduct their annual joint military exercises, and as Secretary of State Blinken and Defense Secretary Austin visit Japan and South Korea. Officials said that if Pyongyang test-fires during Blinken and Austin’s visit to Asia, it would mean that it wants to show President Biden that North Korea is a key player in the region. North Korea may also wait until after their visit before deciding whether to test the weapon.
Van Hoek warned that North Korea may test-fire an intercontinental missile in the near future.
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