North Korea tests largest ballistic missile yet

North Korea has tested its largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to date, the Hwasong-19.

A South Korean military official confirmed Friday that the Hwasong-19, launched on Thursday, is longer and potentially more powerful than North Korea’s previous largest missile, the Hwasong-17.

The missile, launched from an 11-axle transporter erector launcher (TEL), was shown in North Korean state media images towering over previous TELs, indicating its increased size and potential range. South Korean intelligence reports suggest the TEL used in this launch measures approximately 30 meters in length, exceeding the 23-meter TEL used with the Hwasong-17, highlighting the missile’s imposing scale and advanced capabilities.

North Korea described the Hwasong-19 as the “ultimate” version of its ICBM series, claiming it redefines the nation’s strategic missile capacity.

However, South Korean officials expressed caution over the “ultimate” label, suggesting the missile will require additional tests under standard trajectory conditions. The missile’s rounded nose cone, a feature not seen on previous Hwasong models, raised speculation that it could be designed for carrying multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), which would enable it to strike multiple targets with a single launch.

While North Korea has aimed to develop MIRV capabilities since 2021, the latest launch did not explicitly mention MIRV technology, leaving analysts to closely study the missile’s potential configuration. Earlier in June, North Korea claimed a successful test of a multiple-warhead system, but South Korean intelligence dismissed it as a failed test, reporting that the missile had exploded mid-flight.