N Korea tests tactical ballistic missile

SEOUL:

North Korea successfully tested a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a super-large warhead, state media said Tuesday, with analysts suggesting the weapon could be nuclear-capable.

Pyongyang’s state media claimed it had successfully launched the Hwasong-11Da-4.5 missile, which it said was capable of carrying a 4.5 ton-class super-large warhead.

“The test-fire was conducted with a missile tipped with a simulated heavy warhead to verify flight stability and hit accuracy at the maximum range of 500 kilometres and the minimum range of 90 km,” the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Seoul’s military had earlier described the Monday launches as being of two short-range ballistic missiles, one of which they said failed early in flight.

The Monday test launches took place after the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un denounced the latest joint military exercises by Seoul, Tokyo and Washington as an “Asian version of NATO” and warned of “fatal consequences”.