Review of North Korea's 22 missile launches in 2017

(Baonghean.vn) - In 2017, North Korea launched a total of 22 missiles without warheads in 15 test rounds. Let's take a look back at the developments of this country's missile launches that have made the world restless over the past year.

February 12:A North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile was launched from the Banghyon air base near the west coast of North Korea. The missile flew about 500 km east and landed in the Sea of ​​Japan.

April 4:A North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile was launched from the eastern port of Sinpo into the Sea of ​​Japan. The South Korean Defense Ministry said the missile flew about 60 kilometers.

Image of a North Korean missile launch. Source: Kyodo

March 6:Pyongyang launched a series of four short-range ballistic missiles from North Pyongan Province, near the Chinese border. The missiles flew about 1,000 km and landed in the Sea of ​​Japan. The missile launches were believed to be in response to joint military exercises between the US and South Korea.

March 22:Pyongyang is believed to have conducted a test launch, but the missile exploded after liftoff. According to Business Insider, the frequency of unidentified launches in North Korea is increasing.

April 5:A North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile was launched from the eastern port of Sinpo into the Sea of ​​Japan. The South Korean Defense Ministry said the missile flew about 60 kilometers.

North Korea parades to celebrate the birth anniversary of late President Kim Il Sung in 2017.

April 15:North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-12 (KN-17) intermediate-range ballistic missile. The missile reportedly exploded shortly after leaving the launch pad. The failed test took place on the same day as a large-scale military parade marking the birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung.

May 13:North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile near the Russian coast. Japan's Defense Ministry said the missile flew for about 30 minutes before falling into the sea.

May 21:North Korea test-fired the Pukguksong-2 intermediate-range ballistic missile. The missile flew about 500 km. A day before the launch, Pyongyang announced that it was developing the ability to strike the United States with nuclear missiles.

USS Carl Vinson during a joint US-Japan exercise on June 1, 2017.

May 29:A Scud short-range ballistic missile was launched. The missile had a range of about 450 km. North Korea is believed to possess many Scud short-range ballistic missiles made by the former Soviet Union.

June 8:North Korea test-fired four anti-ship cruise missiles from a mobile ground launcher for the first time. The missile is called the KN-09. It was developed for coastal defense with a range of about 200 km.

Morning of July 4: North Korea test-fired the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, shocking the world. The missile traveled 930 km in 40 minutes, reaching an altitude of more than 2,800 km. Pyongyang said the missile launch was a "gift" to Washington on the occasion of US Independence Day and said there would be more "gifts" sent to President Trump.

Deals between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping have cooled as Beijing fails to rein in the nuclear ambitions of the Kim Jong-un regime.

July 28:North Korea has launched another intercontinental ballistic missile. Reaching an altitude of 3,000 km, Western missile experts believe the missile can reach targets 10,000 km away, potentially threatening densely populated cities along the US West Coast.

July 28:The second test of the Hwasong-14 missile. The missile reached an orbital altitude of 3,724 km, and flew for about 47 minutes before falling into the Sea of ​​Japan. The equivalent trajectory of this launch could reach a range of 10,000 km.

On July 28, North Korea successfully tested the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time this month.

August 29: North Korea launched a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Hokkaido, Japan's second largest island. This is the first time North Korea has launched a missile that flew over Japanese airspace.

September 3:North Korea detonated an H-bomb at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. The H-bomb test, with a yield of 80 to 120 kilotons, caused a 6.3-magnitude earthquake. North Korea declared the H-bomb test a complete success, and asserted that it had mastered the technology to miniaturize nuclear warheads so they could be mounted on intercontinental ballistic missiles.

September 15:North Korea once again launched a Hwasong-12 missile that flew over Hokkaido. The missile traveled 3,700 km, reaching an altitude of 770 km. This is the longest distance a North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile has ever traveled.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next to a device believed to be a thermonuclear bomb. Photo: AP

Early morning of November 29:North Korea successfully launched the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile traveled more than 1,000 km, reaching a peak altitude of 4,000 km before falling into Japan's exclusive economic zone. The Hwasong-15 is estimated to have a range of up to 13,000 km, meaning it can reach any target on US territory. This is North Korea's 23rd missile launch in 2017./.

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