North Korea launches an ICBM days before US election
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. SEOUL—Just days before the U.S. presidential election, North Korea launched an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile that stayed airborne longer than anything the Kim Jong Un regime had ever launched before.
Pyongyang has traditionally carried out weapons tests or provocations timed around key American political events or holidays—moves that security experts say seek to grab Washington’s attention. North Korea has previously demonstrated it has long-range missiles that could reach the U.S. mainland.
The presumed ICBM launched on Wednesday flew for more than 85 minutes, according to Japan’s defense ministry. That tops North Korea’s previous record of roughly 74 minutes. Showcasing a lengthier flight time suggests not only the potential for an ICBM to travel greater distances, but also fly with heavier payloads.
One of Kim’s top weapons priorities is possessing a long-range missile powerful enough to carry several nuclear warheads that would dramatically multiply the damage a single weapon could deliver. The outcome of Tuesday’s U.S. election could reshape Washington’s policy with the Kim regime should former President Donald Trump win.
Pyongyang never took up the Biden administration’s repeated offers to meet without preconditions, with top North Korean officials doubting the talks would deliver meaningful results. Vice President Kamala Harris has signaled adopting a similar tact. Meanwhile, Trump—the only sitting U.S.
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