North Korea Develops An Explosive New Technology
Jackson Andrews ‘25
The never-ending conflict with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has raged on in the background of our collective mind for decades, with the summit or botched test reaching the headlines for a weekend. Recent months, however, have seen a massive uptick in the capability of the North Korean military thanks to the development of the Hwasong-8 hypersonic missile as well as a successful submarine-based ballistic missile launch. Both tests, especially the Hwasong-8 represent an immediate threat to not only the continental United States, but also nearly every person on Earth. North Korea now has the capacity to deliver a nuclear payload to any major target it wishes, and considering their roguish behavior and desire for international recognition, who knows what they will do with that capability. The reason the Hwasong-8 is so alarming for militaries and citizens alike is due to its ability to maintain Mach 5 (6174 km/h) whilst “gliding.” The operative danger in the missile is this gliding ability following reentry, which results in it being able to avoid many missile defense systems like the Standard Missile 3 that are designed to destroy missiles on a parabolic trajectory. By “gliding” the Hwasong-8 lowers the success rate of SM-3 systems and creates a larger threat for North Korea’s potential targets.
Defeating the United States’ missile defense systems has been the chief goal of North Korean missile development as it gives them the capability to genuinely strike high-profile American targets. Having the range to hit cities is one thing, but this missile can undermine the defense systems in place by maneuvering through defense missiles and more accurately hitting targets following reentry. North Korea’s policy has always been focused on identifying themselves as an immense military threat which then forces their enemies to treat them as an equal in terms of power, essentially forcing their own seat at the international table. The recent
development of the Hwasong-8 gives the Kim regime another success, and another bargaining chip in negotiations with the United States. Hypersonic glider missiles are at the cutting edge of anti-defense missile payload delivery systems and prove that North Korea is still a massive threat to the national security of any of their enemies. Rather than relying on another nation to bear the threats North Korea wishes it could, its missile program has developed into one that is independently impressive, and only looks more threatening when combined with the arsenal of their chief ally, China. China has recently developed a hypersonic glider of its own, which may or may not be linked to North Korea’s development of the same technology. Regardless, the two states having such powerful payload delivery technologies has massive policy and security implications for the United States and its allies. Negotiations and diplomacy with the state become more difficult with every new development, as the more dangerous their arsenal becomes, the larger their bargaining range becomes when asking for concessions.
Not only has North Korea added to their existing slew of weaponry, but they have so in conjunction with the powerful China, ringing alarm bells in the heads of American military leaders. Now, there is some skepticism about the true success of North Korea’s test, as they have a tendency to over-exaggerate the magnitude of their weaponry, as to do so gives them a strategic advantage. Foreign powers have no real way to verify that the claim is true, but given that China has recently developed a similar technology, it is likely that North Korea has some truth behind their claims. Paired with the new American administration’s hardline stance on Chinese politics and “goal of denuclearization” with North Korea, citizens of states opposed to the regime should keep an eye on the continued development of its missile capability. Most humans on Earth are now in range of a potential North Korean strike, and their defense systems now have a glaring hole that North Korea can exploit. Diplomacy with North Korea is becoming a matter of survival and should be treated with the utmost attention.
Sources:
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2021/05/04/the-rollout-of-the-biden-a dministrations-north-korea-policy-review-leaves-unanswered-questions/
https://www.businessinsider.com/north-koreas-new-hypersonic-missile-isnt-a-game-chan ger-yet-2021-10
https://www.nknews.org/2021/09/north-korea-tested-new-hypersonic-missile-state-media /
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41174689
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58976195
https://www.ft.com/content/ba0a3cde-719b-4040-93cb-a486e1f843fb
