North Korea reportedly marked a significant achievement in its space program on Wednesday by launching its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in nearly a year.
The missile was launched on October 30, just days before the U.S. federal elections on November 5, a timing that the Associated Press indicates could be deliberate.
Both the U.S. and Japanese governments confirmed the launch, which lasted 86 minutes and reached an altitude of 4,350 miles (7,000 km), exceeding the previous record by around 1,000 miles.
The country, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, has been increasingly supportive of Russia’s widely condemned invasion of Ukraine, which has raised alarms for the U.S. and its allies.
In retaliation, American, Japanese, and South Korean forces have conducted various military exercises in the Pacific, which North Korea perceives as provocative.
Japan and South Korea, U.S. allies and signatories of the Artemis Accords promoting peaceful space exploration, have voiced concerns over North Korea’s recent deployment of approximately 10,000 troops to Russia. The U.S. and NATO have labeled this a “very serious issue” with possible implications for both the Pacific region and Europe.
Details regarding the specific type of ICBM used in this latest launch are still pending. North Korea’s last ICBM test occurred in December 2023 with the Hwasong-18 missile, which has undergone testing at least three times, according to reports.
For roughly 80 years, North Korea has maintained an isolationist stance, with reports indicating that its citizens lack basic services, according to Britannica. Recently, the nation has strengthened its relationship with Russia.
In 2023, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Vostochny Cosmodrome spaceport shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has severely affected Ukraine and disrupted various collaborative space initiatives with Russia.
While Russia remains engaged with the International Space Station (ISS) for operational reasons, it plans to leave the partnership by 2028 to pursue a separate space alliance with China. This move restricts China’s ability to enter into bilateral agreements with NASA and the U.S. without Congressional approval, while other ISS partners aim to continue operations until at least 2030.
