North Korea boasts of ‘world’s strongest’ missile, but experts say it’s oversized

Sat Nov 02 06:34:12 UTC 2024: ## North Korea’s New ICBM: Bigger Doesn’t Mean Better?

**Seoul, South Korea:** North Korea has claimed its newly tested intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-19, is the “world’s strongest,” but experts are casting doubt on its effectiveness. The missile, launched on October 31, 2024, flew higher and longer than any previous North Korean weapon, but experts believe it falls short in terms of real-world application.

While North Korean media praised the Hwasong-19 as a “perfected weapon system,” foreign experts point to its size as a major weakness. The ICBM is estimated to be at least 28 meters long, significantly larger than advanced U.S. and Russian ICBMs. This size, experts say, raises concerns about the missile’s mobility and survivability in a wartime scenario.

“When missiles get bigger, the vehicles that transport them also get larger,” said Lee Sangmin, an expert at South Korea’s Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. “As transporter-erector launchers get bigger, their mobility decreases.”

Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at Seoul’s Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, added that the Hwasong-19’s size likely contributed to its detection by South Korean intelligence, making it a vulnerable target in the event of conflict.

Despite the concerns, many experts believe North Korea likely possesses missiles capable of striking all of South Korea. However, the Hwasong-19’s capabilities remain uncertain regarding its ability to reach the mainland U.S. The missile’s size and potential lack of mobility raise questions about its true effectiveness in a conflict.