North Korea's nuclear missiles aim at the US

In the event of war, North Korean nuclear missiles could target strategic targets in North America or military bases in the Pacific.

"Death Map" in Kim Jong-un's office

North Korea on May 14 successfully test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a large nuclear warhead, the Hwasong-12, reaching an altitude of more than 2,000 km and flying 787 km before falling into the Sea of ​​Japan. Experts say this test brings North Korea closer to its ambition of possessing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a weapon considered the top threat to US cities.

In the event of war, North Korea would likely launch nuclear strikes on targets on US territory based on the "Death Map" that appeared in a 2013 video of leader Kim Jong-un's office, according to Foreign Policy.

Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program, believes that the US capital Washington DC will be the first target of a North Korean nuclear missile. This is a very clear target, mentioned many times by North Korean officials. The next target is believed to be Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, because this is where the Pacific Fleet, the largest force of the US Navy, is located.

The next targets are still unclear. The third target is likely to be San Diego, home to one of the two main bases of the Pacific Fleet, Lewis said. North Korea could also target Vandenberg Air Force Base, where the US Air Force’s ballistic missile program is tested and deployed.

The final target is the most difficult to predict, although many believe it could be Austin, Texas. However, if North Korea were to attack Texas, it would most likely target Cyber ​​City, near San Antonio, which is home to Lackland Air Force Base and the US Air Force Cyber ​​Command. Pyongyang has repeatedly complained about cyberattacks, and it is very concerned about maintaining control of its nuclear forces.

Pearl Harbor was the priority target in a preemptive strike. Photo: Wikipedia.

Another possibility is that North Korea would launch a nuclear strike on Barsdate Air Force Base, Los Angeles, which is home to the headquarters of the US Air Force Global Strike Command.

Analysts say Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, home to the US Strategic Command, and Whiteman Airfield in Missouri, home to B-2 stealth bombers, are also vulnerable to North Korean nuclear missile attacks.

According to military expert Ryan Pickrell, in the event of a US-North Korea war breaking out while Pyongyang does not yet possess intercontinental ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads, leader Kim Jong-un will likely order attacks on US and allied military facilities in Northeast Asia.

If North Korea faces the threat of invasion, it is likely that it will focus on attacking US military bases and high-value strategic assets such as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in South Korea. The port of Busan, where many US warships are based in South Korea, is also likely to be a target of North Korean bombing..

In early March, North Korea launched four extended-range Scud missiles into the Sea of ​​Japan, claiming to be practicing attacks on U.S. bases in Japan. Intelligence reports revealed that North Korea was targeting the U.S. Marine Corps Base in Iwakuni, which houses a squadron of 10 F-35Bs.

The newly tested Hwasong-12 missile is believed to have a range that can reach Guam, where the US deploys dozens of strategic bombers such as the B-1B, B-52 and B-2.

Guam Island is where the US strategic bomber force is deployed. Photo: US Air Force.

"If the US recklessly misjudges the strategic position of the DPRK, all US bases in the Pacific will be destroyed in an all-out strike," a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said in the middle of last year.

According to VNE