A view of the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test that was successfully launched is seen in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang November 30, 2017. REUTERS/KCNA
SEOUL, November 30 (Reuters) - Imagery released on Thursday of North Korea's latest missile test showed new rocket engines and a larger design that likely puts Kim Jong Un closer to his goal of being able to deliver a nuclear warhead to a target anywhere in the world, though without great accuracy yet, analysts said.
North Korea released dozens of photos and a video after Wednesday's launch of the new Hwasong-15 missile, which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared had "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force".
Since July's launch of the Hwasong-14, its first long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), North Korea analysts have been looking for signs the isolated country has developed precise guidance systems, reliable and powerful rocket engines, and a re-entry vehicle capable of protecting a nuclear warhead as it speeds toward its target.
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North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is seen as the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test was successfully launched, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang November 30, 2017. REUTERS/KCNA[/caption]
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A view of the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test was successfully launched is seen in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang November 30, 2017. REUTERS/KCNA[/caption]
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A view of the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test that was successfully launched is seen in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang November 30, 2017. REUTERS/KCNA[/caption]
"North Korea is continuing to pursue its ICBM in a methodical and pragmatic manner, making progress in incremental steps," said Joseph Bermudez from 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project.
U.S. officials noted, however, that North Korea has not proved it has an accurate guidance system for an ICBM or a capable re-entry vehicle.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Roh Jae-cheon cautioned that more analysis is needed to determine the Hwasong-15's full performance, but said North Korea had clearly made significant changes since the Hwasong-14.
"Our initial analysis of the photos showed that there were clear differences between the Hwasong-15 and Hwasong-14 in terms of the looks of the warhead, the joint of the first and second stages of the missile, and overall size," Roh told a briefing on Thursday.
North Korea said the new missile soared to an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles), more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station, and flew 950 km during its 53-minute flight - higher and longer than any North Korean missile, before landing in the sea near Japan.
LARGER, MORE POWERFUL MISSILE
The missile's large size was immediately apparent in the photos, which analysts said could provide for a more powerful propulsion system.
"This is a very big missile," Michael Duitsman, a research associate at the Centre for Nonproliferation Studies, said in an analysis posted to Twitter. "And I don't mean 'Big for North Korea.' Only a few countries can produce missiles of this size, and North Korea just joined the club."
One U.S. intelligence official told Reuters the Hwasong-15 test appears to demonstrate a more powerful North Korean solid-fuel propulsion system, especially in its second-stage rocket.
A solid-fuel system for an ICBM would be a significant development and could allow the North Koreans to transport and launch a missile more quickly, compared to a liquid-fuel system that requires lengthy preparation.
The photos appeared to show the missile with at least two large nozzles on its first stage, instead of the one large and several smaller nozzles on the Hwasong-14.
"The first stage seems to use essentially the same case (as the Hwasong-14) but has two engines," said David Wright, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a U.S.-based nonprofit science advocacy group. "The second stage looks like it can carry more than twice as much propellant. The combination of those two things means it really is a new, more capable missile."
The missile's size and design may also make it possible for it to carry a larger warhead and a more robust re-entry vehicle, analysts said.
The nose section of the missile appeared to be blunter than previous versions, which might suggest progress in developing a re-entry vehicle, Bermudez said.
MOBILE LAUNCHER?
The photos appeared to show a mobile erector vehicle positioning the missile at the launch site, designed to allow it to be fired from a wider number of areas to prevent it from being intercepted.
While the photos show the vehicle being used to position the missile upright, it is not seen in photos of the launch itself. U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded from satellite and other data that the test missile was fired from a fixed position, not a mobile launcher, three U.S. officials said.
A video released later on Wednesday by state media showed the missile standing alone before launch on a small platform, confirming the intelligence assessments.
That the missile is likely longer and heavier than its predecessors is evidenced by the sheer size of the transporter, which had nine axles instead of eight previously seen in North Korean transporters, he said.
The massive vehicle was "100 percent" a domestic product of North Korea, state media quoted Kim Jong Un as saying.
Western analysts said it is more likely the truck was one of about half a dozen vehicles obtained years ago from China, which North Korea has modified since then.
"I would need to see a bit more differences to fully believe they made this themselves," Dave Schmerler, a research associate at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies, said of the launch transport vehicle.
"They can reverse engineer it, so there is always that option, but from what I saw, I am not inclined to believe they made this yet."
Korean brings world closer to war: Haley at UN
Washington, November 30 (IANS) North Koreas latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile has brought the world "closer to war", US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warned at an emergency meeting with the members of the UN Security Council in New York and urged all nations to ties with the rogue regime.
Speaking at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Haley said: "The dictator of North Korea made a choice yesterday that brings the world closer to war, not farther from it."
"We have never sought war with North Korea, and still today we do not seek it. If war does come... make no mistake, the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed."
Haley said the Trump administration warned North Korea that its future is in the hands of its leaders and the choice was theirs. With the launch, she said, Kim Jong-un's regime made a choice "and with this choice comes a critical choice for the rest of the world", CNN reported.
She stressed that the nations of the world "have it within our power, to further isolate, diminish, and... reverse the dangerous course of the North Korean regime" and called on all nations to "cut off all ties with North Korea.
"In addition to fully implementing all UN sanctions, all countries should sever diplomatic relations with North Korea and limit military, scientific, technical or commercial cooperation," she said.
"They must also cut off trade with the regime by stopping all imports and exports and expel all North Korean workers."
Haley said President Donald Trump had asked his Chinese counterpart to cut off oil supplies to Pyongyang. "We need China to do more," she said.
"We know the main driver of its nuclear production is oil," she said. "The major supplier of that oil is China."
Earlier on Wednesday, the White House said that Trump spoke to Xi Jinping by telephone, urging him to... convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearisation".
Speaking in Missouri about tax reform, Trump derided Kim, describing him as a "sick puppy" and "little rocket man".
Xi responded by telling Trump it was Beijing's "unswerving goal to maintain peace and stability in northeast Asia and denuclearise the Korean peninsula", Xinhua news agency reported.
Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Pyongyang should stop its missile and nuclear tests but also called on Washington to cancel military exercises with South Korea in December as it would "inflame an already explosive situation".
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the US would press for tougher measures allowing North Korean shipping to be stopped and searched at high sea.
The Hwasong-15 missile, described as North Korea's "most powerful", was launched early Wednesday with a "super-large heavy warhead" which the regime claimed was capable of striking the US mainland. It landed in Japanese waters.
