North Korea will eventually obtain a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States if left unchecked, a top US intelligence official said.
Ballistic missiles fly in a parabolic route, exiting and entering the Earth’s atmosphere, while cruise missiles fly in a straight line within the atmosphere.
Stewart and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats spoke days after North Korea tested its second ballistic missile in the span of a week.
That missile test was considered one of the country’s most successful ever, analysts said.
A preliminary US intelligence analysis indicated there was successful re-entry into the atmosphere, a significant leap forward in Pyongyang’s missile program, two US officials told CNN.
Though it appears North Korea hasn’t developed a working intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the contiguous 48 states of the United States, it has made significant progress on shorter-range ones.
Both Coats and Stewart stressed that Pyongyang further perfects its missile technology with each test.
« They’ve certainly demonstrated a range of missiles, a range of fuel types, a range of boosters, » Stewart said.
Coats and Stewart were both asked if North Korea had the capability to use a nuclear weapon against US allies Japan or South Korea. Both declined to answer.
Much of the hearing was focused on reports that US President Donald Trump asked Coats to publicly deny evidence of cooperation between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. Coats said he would not speak publicly about his private conversations with Trump.
Nuclear capability
The missile tests are half the equation. North Korea must also create a viable nuclear warhead it can fit atop a long-range missile in order to reach its goal of developing a nuclear weapon that could hit the United States.
