By Douglas F. Roberts, The Chicago Times
November 18, 2022
TOKYO – A Japanese official said North Korea test fired a missile on Friday that could potentially reach the continental US.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada announced that a suspected North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile flew 620 miles at a maximum altitude of about 3,600. Hamada added that depending on the weight of a missile warhead it could threaten at a range of 9,320 miles, which could put the US at risk from a North Korean nuclear strike. According to Hamada, the suspected missile was a Hwasong-17 which can hold multiple nuclear warheads to counter anti-missile defense systems.
“North Korea has been repeatedly launching missiles this year at an unprecedented rate and is significantly escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” Hamada said at a press conference.