North Korea announced for the first time on the 2nd that it had tested technology to launch multiple nuclear warheads with a single missile, just days after Russian President Vladimir V Putin visited North Korea and raised the possibility of expanding military technology cooperation.
North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday that the test was “aimed at securing MIRV capabilities.” MIRV stands for “Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle,” a missile payload containing multiple warheads, each of which can be directed to a different target. The report said the test involved parts of the MIRV system rather than a full-fledged multi-warhead missile.
Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un invited Putin for talks last week, officials and analysts have expressed concerns that deepening their relationship would encourage Kim to embark on an ambitious nuclear weapons upgrade.
A MIRV capability would dramatically increase the threat North Korea poses to the United States and its allies, because a high-velocity ballistic missile split into multiple nuclear warheads and decoys would be more difficult for missile defense systems to intercept.
South Korean officials said North Korea’s test on Wednesday was a failure, saying the missile flew 150 miles before exploding in waters east of the country.
This is a developing story.
