The state agency KCNA reported that the Hwasongpho-17 missile it took off from a mobile launcher at Pyongyang International Airport and reached a maximum altitude of 6,248 kilometers and traveled a horizontal distance of just over 1,000 meters.
The missile was launched with a very vertical trajectory to avoid flying over other countries, as stated in the North Korean statement. In fact, if they had chosen another trajectory, it could have reached the continental United States. But the missile landed in waters of the exclusive economic zone of Japan1,090 kilometers away from the point from which it was launched, the Sunan airport, on the outskirts of the North Korean capital
It was in the air for 67 minutes, and North Korea celebrated the launch with a grand display, as on great occasions. It was presented by the announcer Ri Chun-hee, in charge of announcing the big news of the regime and the network also broadcast an eleven-minute montage of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in a Top Gun-esque lookcontrolling the launch and celebrating the feat.
Kim Jong-un oversees the launch of the Hwasong-17 missile.
Europe Press (DPA)
The doubts of the launch of the Hwasongpho-17
International analysts doubt several images that are seen to consider that the launch of the missile is real. The images show the launch on a clear day, while Thursday was cloudy in the city of Pyongyang. L
Additionally, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing US and South Korean military sources, indicates that the rocket seen has two engine nozzles, while the Hwasong-17 seen in the 2020 parade would have four.
Another data, the combustion time of the engine of the first phase of the launch, according to the same sources, was similar to that of the Hwasong-15 test five years ago.
“Multiple pieces of visual evidence suggest that the North Korean version of events is misleading at best and, at worst, possibly a complete fabrication of a test of a Hwasong-17 missile “, indicates the page specialized in information on North Korea NKNews.