US expert: North Korea's missile test is just 'tip of the iceberg'

(Baonghean.vn) - After more than 2 months of silence, on November 29, North Korea test-launched a ballistic missile. Experts believe that this country will continue its missile program and "the tests will become increasingly serious."

There are concerns that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could carry out provocative actions before or during the Winter Olympics. Photo: AP

In addition, a defense expert said Pyongyang’s latest test was just “the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the country’s advanced ballistic missile capabilities, including heat-resistant technology that is key to its ambitions to build an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the U.S. mainland. This is the first time Pyongyang has tested a ballistic missile since the Northeast Asian country tested the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile on September 15.

Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at the Center for the National Interest (USA), said that the fourth quarter is not normally an extremely busy time for North Korea's missile tests.

“When you look at the fourth quarter numbers for most years, they either do no testing or only do two tests. Last year they did two tests,” Kazianis said.

The expert said there were several factors that explained why North Korea did not conduct many tests in the last quarter of the year, including the military assisting with the harvest due to the country's severe food shortages. In addition, December is the time when Pyongyang intends to conduct more military exercises.

“North Korea is busy doing other things, but they are continuing to demonstrate their missile technology,” he said. “So I’m not shocked that they did this test, but I was a little surprised because I thought they would hold off until after the Winter Olympics.”

The Winter Olympics are scheduled to be held in South Korea in early February 2018. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has invited neighboring North Korea to attend the world's largest sporting event, as a gesture of peace.

There are concerns that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may carry out provocative activity before or during the event.

Kazianis said there was speculation that the first quarter would be a “critical testing cycle” as happened with Pyongyang’s ballistic missile program.

North Korea “possesses a lot of new technology,” he said, including long-range ballistic missiles and “new types of heat-resistant technology.”

He commented that North Korea “has a lot to gain by doing this. The situation is getting worse. The tests are going to get more serious. Honestly, we are just scratching the surface of the iceberg when it comes to their capabilities.”

Lan Ha

(According to CNBC)