North Korea shows off nuclear missile capable of hitting US for first time

North Korea on February 8 deployed many vehicles and equipment such as tanks and self-propelled artillery in a parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of its army. Notable among these were two types of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that appeared publicly for the first time, the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15, according toBusiness Insider.

Video released by North Korean state television also showed thousands of soldiers parading across a central square in Pyongyang in freezing weather.

The Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 are two types of missiles that North Korea tested in 2017, believed to be capable of hitting targets on the US mainland. However, this is the first time these two types of ICBMs have been shown to the public.

The Hwasong-14 was first tested on July 4, 2017. Pyongyang claimed the missile had a range of about 7,000 km, enough to reach the US territory of Alaska. The US, South Korean and Japanese military and intelligence agencies all concluded at the time that this was a "frightening milestone" in North Korea's ballistic missile program, years ahead of their previous estimates.

The Hwasong-15 was launched in late November 2017, reaching an altitude of 4,475 km and a range of 960 km, making it Pyongyang's highest-flying and longest-range missile. Many analysts believe the Hwasong-15 can strike any US target with one or more nuclear warheads.