North Korea may soon test-launch an new intercontinental ballistic missile, possibly to coincide with the inauguration of U. S. President-elect Donald Trump , South Korean media reported on Thursday.
Citing unnamed military officials, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said it’s possible the North has built two prototype ICBMs that appear different from previously known iterations, and has transported them to mobile launch sites.
Reuters notes a test-launch could be “imminent” and could possibly take place around the time of Trump’s inauguration on Friday as a display of force directed at the incoming U. S. president.
South Korean intelligence agencies reported that North Korea was transporting suspected ICBM parts , according to South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. The guided long-range missile is primarily designed to deliver nuclear weapons.
“It was different from a conventional Musudan missile in its length and shape,” a source told the outlet, citing the weapon North Korea launched eight times last year ( only once successfully ).
