North Korea launches most powerful missile, South Korean President warns of 'great pain', US-Japan-Korea activate new 'weapon'

Before two consecutive missile launches by North Korea on December 17-18, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned about the consequences of the incident.

Triều Tiên phóng tên lửa mạnh nhất, Tổng thống Hàn Quốc cảnh báo 'nỗi đau lớn', Mỹ-Nhật-Hàn kích hoạt 'vũ khí' mới

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) and his daughter supervise the launch of the Hwasongpho-18 ICBM on December 18. (Source: KCNA)

North Korea launched two missiles on the evening of December 17 and early on December 18, including its most powerful solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the ICBM is capable of reaching the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw the ICBM test launch on December 18.

This is the third time Pyongyang has tested a solid-fuel ICBM, following launches in April and July this year. Analysts say this signals continued efforts to improve North Korea's missile technology.

KCNA stated: "The Hwasongpho-18 ICBM launch drill was held as an important military action to clearly demonstrate the overwhelming counterattack will and unparalleled might of the strategic nuclear force against the enemy."

With this test, the Hwasongpho-18 missile, the largest in North Korea's arsenal, flew more than 1,000 km and demonstrated the "combat capability of the ICBM unit".

According to Chairman Kim Jong-un, the launch sent a "clear signal to hostile forces" and "sets a number of important new tasks in developing the strategic nuclear weapons force" of this Northeast Asian country.

“The successful drill was a practical demonstration of the actual condition and reliability of the formidable strike weapons and absolute nuclear war deterrence possessed by the DPRK armed forces,” KCNA quoted the leader as saying.

Before North Korea's series of missile launches, on December 19, Yonhap reported that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said that Pyongyang "will realize that their actions will only bring greater pain."

Meanwhile, on the same day, South Korea, the United States and Japan launched a system to share real-time North Korean missile warning data to ensure the safety of their citizens and enhance related capabilities. This is the latest effort to strengthen the trilateral cooperation mechanism to deal with Pyongyang.

South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said the data would include the launch point, flight path and the missile's expected impact point.

The countries also jointly set up a plan for multi-year military exercises as agreed by defense ministers at a trilateral meeting in November.

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