North Korea's 'monster' missile suspected of exploding during re-entry

The intercontinental ballistic missile North Korea claimed to have successfully test-launched on November 29 may have exploded during re-entry into the atmosphere, a US official said.

North Korea's missile launch on the morning of November 29. Photo: AFP

Fox NewsNorth Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile, believed to be the Hwasong-15, which was test-fired last week may have exploded into pieces upon re-entering the atmosphere, a US official said on December 2.

The official also added that the US and allied countries are conducting an investigation, collecting and analyzing debris related to the nuclear missile warhead after it fell into the sea near Japan on the morning of November 29.

According to this official, in addition to mastering missile guidance and targeting technology, North Korea is still facing the challenge of missile reentry.

The comments came after North Korea launched a missile on the morning of November 29 that flew 960km and reached an altitude of nearly 4,500km. North Korea claimed that this was a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile called the Hwasong-15, which has a range that covers the entire United States. Pyongyang also claimed that the launch completed the country's nuclear force.

Meanwhile, American experts call this a "monster" missile because its size is much larger than previous North Korean missiles.

According to US military officials, this could be a two-stage missile. With larger stages, this missile can fly further and carry a heavier payload.

Earlier, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said that North Korea's latest missile launch may not have been completely successful because the missile lost contact with the control center mid-flight.

According to Dantri