North Korea’s military has displayed enough intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to defeat American air defenses on the west coast, according to satellite images of a martial parade Wednesday.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un staged the parade throughout last week, showcasing up to 12 individual Hwasong-17 ICBM launchers. The United States has just 44 missile interceptors on America’s west coast, with some stationed in California and others in Alaska, according to Politico.
If the 12 ICBMs carried a payload of four warheads each, they would overwhelm America’s prepared defenses, according to the report.
North Korea has struggled to demonstrate the range capability of its ICBMs, however, the Hwasong-17s are believed to be able to reach the United States from the country.
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North Korea holds military parade in Pyongyang. (Getty)
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un attends a military parade with his daughter. (Getty)
Wednesday’s military parade in Pyongyang came after Kim disappeared from the public eye for more than a month. He only reappeared on Monday during a meeting with his Central Military Commission. His absence from a Politburo meeting on Sunday has raised further speculation about his whereabouts.
The country’s state media reported that Kim and his leaders discussed “continued expansion and intensification of combat operations and exercises” and “more rigorous refinement of war preparedness,” according to the Associated Press.
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Tensions with North Korea have flared in recent months as the United States strengthens relations with regional allies such as South Korea and Japan. The United States has tried to dissuade China and North Korea from waging a conflict over South Korea or Taiwan.
China held a series of unprecedented military exercises around Taiwan last fall, which led to livelier exercises by the United States and its allies as well.
A pair of ICBM launchers pass crowds in Pyongyang. (Getty)
Kim fired North Korea’s top military official in early January. Pak Jong Chon, deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission, was the second most powerful military official in the country, behind only Kim himself. He was replaced by a certain Ri Yong Gil during a series of meetings with Kim’s Commission and Central Committee.
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The jolt of leadership comes as Kim is getting increasingly aggressive with ballistic missile tests, having launched dozens over the past year.
